Immortal Throne
by Totoromo
Summary: StarrkxIchigo fic/some AizenxIchigo. Ichigo is brought in to Aizen because he looks like the vampire Kaien Shiba. Things wind up getting more complicated as the vampire/werewolf half breed Coyote Starrk begins to follow his own feelings towards Ichigo. Also features Grimmjow/Ulquiorra, with Grimmjow being a succubus/incubus (flashbacks to when he was female, can change genders)
1. The Beginning

**Title:** Immortal Throne

**Fandom:** Bleach

**Rating:** M, mature themes, language, violence, sex and sexual situations.

**Description:** Eventual StarrkxIchigo fic. Some AizenxIchigo. Ichigo is brought in to Aizen, a warlock turned vampire, because he looks like the vampire Kaien Shiba. Aizen becomes interested in the new vampire Ichigo. Why is he different than any other vampire? What powers does he possess? Things wind up getting more complicated as the vampire/werewolf half breed Coyote Starrk begins to follow his own feelings towards Ichigo.

As vampires start turning towards new technology, and human warlocks cling to the old, only age old treaties keep the two ancient groups from battling over new territories in the World of the Living.

**Disclaimer:** Bleach is created and owned by Tite Kubo, I merely pay homage to characters and a story I love.

_**A/N #1**__: A lot of people voted for all of the options I offered on the poll, so I will be doing all of them eventually. I will be starting with this one and with the sequel to Lost Cause (after it's done!)_

_**A/N #2:**__ Wow, I took the idea of Starrk as a vampy werewolf and really ran with it. I love this universe I've created and I hope you enjoy it too! Oh, and I've never read any of the Twilight books or seen the movies, so sorry if you want more of that type of vampire as opposed to more traditional types. These are more along the lines of Bram Stoker's Dracula and even more like Neil Gaiman's American Gods._

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"Why, hello," the man in the large seat said. He spoke with authority, as if seated on a throne. The seat itself was on a stepped dais. The white room was massive, marbled pillars lining the walkway. Large windows reached from the ground to the ceiling, letting in light from the new moon above. Cushions of various bright colors were spread haphazardly. Several were occupied, but no one seemed to be paying attention to the boy speaking to the seated man. At least, that was the impression the kid got; which happened to be a wrong one. Every eye was on him, every breath hung on the words exchanged between the two, even as the inhabitants of the room seemed to be at play or sleep.

"I…I don't know who you are," Ichigo stammered. He instantly winced at how empty and small his voice sounded in the cavernous room.

"What a lovely hair color. A pity Kaien never choose to wear his that way," Aizen said, eyeing the flame colored hair on top of the teenage boy's head. Aizen idly wondered if it was always ruffled looking or if that was just a consequence of being dragged in by Yammy.

"Yammy," Aizen said.

"Yes, Lord Aizen?"

"You do know that Kaien is a shape shifter, right?" Aizen pointed out.

"Well, yes," Yammy admitted.

"I doubt that my former security chief would disguise himself in such an obvious way as merely changing coloring. He's more likely appearing as an elderly man or a young girl at this point. Assuming he's hiding from me, of course," Aizen said.

"I…I thought the resemblance was too remarkable so I picked him up. Perhaps he is another Shiba?" Yammy wondered. "I thought if he was a Shiba, then we could ask him where Kaien went."

"Not too bad a thought process as far as you go," Aizen admitted. "However, we do have another Shiba clan member about, and I can talk to him whenever I want. He says he doesn't know where his cousin is, by the way."

"Oh, I forgot about Shiro, sir," Yammy really was sorry. The kid just looked so close he had just knocked him out and brought him home without even thinking.

"He is a vampire, however," Aizen said. "So there's that at least."

"I'm not a…did you just say I'm a vampire?" Ichigo said nervously. "That's pretty ridiculous considering they don't exist."

All chatter in the room stopped at this point. All eyes locked onto the boy's figure.

"Can you not tell that we are all vampires in this room?" Aizen asked.

Ichigo gulped, not daring to look around the room. "Um, I've never seen a vampire. I guess I don't know what to look for."

"Well, you've obviously seen at least one, kid," came a voice from besides the throne.

Laughter filled the room. Ichigo looked at the man who had spoken. His hair was electric blue and there was something feral about the way he was laying on his cushion. He looked both completely at ease and one second from attacking something. His shockingly blue eyes lingered on Ichigo's body, making him self conscious. "If you don't want him, Lord Aizen," Grimmjow said, "then I will definitely take him off your hands for you," he said in a suggestive tone.

"It's probably not a good thing to hit on someone who looks exactly like your boss's lover," a blonde Amazonian looking woman said from across the hall, her deep voice vibrating pleasantly. The women surrounding her giggled at that.

"Meh, I'm pretty sure Aizen was getting bored of Kaien anyways. Maybe that's why he ran away. Maybe he couldn't take the pressure," Grimmjow said with a wide grin, his eyes never leaving his thorough examination of Ichigo. He caressed his own leg with a sinuous movement, giving a low erotic groan.

This feels like a dream, Ichigo thought to himself. I was just at my school not an hour ago. I have no idea where this is, or who these people are. Yes, this has to be a dream...or a day dream. I've always wanted to find more people like me. If these people are telling me the truth, then I've finally found more. Vampires.

They are wrong though; I've never met even one, or if I did he or she never stopped to introduce themselves. No, I've just always been like this, although it's gotten worse since I became a teenager. I had the normal changes in my body along with whatever else was happening to me as a vampire. I've been alone this whole time wondering if I was a freak but now there's whole room of them. Ichigo stretched his mind, trying to figure out how it was he was supposed to sense that these people around him were different than any normal humans. They smelled different...more mellow than the acidic smell most humans had. Was that the difference?

Ichigo's eye's widened. Did the blue haired man just lick his lips while looking at him?

"Feel free to ignore Grimmjow," the dark haired man in front of him said. "He's an incubus. They're just like that."

"A what?" Ichigo asked, reexamining Grimmjow. He was definitely beautiful...minding searingly hot actually...but an incubus?

"Curious?" Grimmjow asked with a wide grin. "I have a way to _sate _that curiosity. What is your name?"

Ichigo hesitated.

"It's always a good idea to consider your options before giving a demon your name," the man at the throne told him. "In this case however, it is unavoidable. Your full name, please."

The man did say "please" but Ichigo got the impression that it was an order and not a request.

"Ichigo Kurosaki," Ichigo said.

"Kurosaki. Hm...," the man on the throne thought about it.

"Do you taste like strawberries, underneath?" Grimmjow said, all of sudden appearing behind Ichigo, his teeth grazing his neck but not piercing him.

"Sit," the man ordered. Grimmjow growled and returned to his cushion.

"My name is Sosuke Aizen," the man said. "Welcome to my palace, Las Noches."

"Um...Aizen...," Ichigo began. He felt a hand behind him, pressing him into a bow.

"Lord Aizen," the voice behind him corrected him. Ichigo tried to get look at the person holding him down, but all he saw was liquid green eyes against alabaster skin.

"It's ok, Ulquiorra," Aizen insisted. "We should welcome our guest first. He'll learn all the rules in time."

In time? "Look, it looks like you have a pretty neat club here, but I'm not really interested. Now let me go home or I'm going to have to consider myself to be held against my will," Ichigo said.

"What specific words you use," Aizen stated.

"I've had some problems with the law before. It's none of your business except to know that I know my rights," Ichigo claimed.

"First of all, you don't want to leave. Second of all, no one would prevent you from trying to do so," Aizen said.

Ichigo looked around at the faces watching him with interest.

"It's true that I'd like to know more about you and why you think that you're vampires," Ichigo said cautiously.

"Caution is always a good trait," the Amazonian said. "In this case, it's not warranted though." She opened her tanned mouth to reveal a devastating set of canines that grew slightly as she displayed them. "My name is Tia Hallibel," she introduced herself. "We are vampires from all around the world, gathered here to serve under Lord Aizen in Las Noches."

"Las Noches?"

"That would be this palace and the grounds that it stands on," Aizen specified. "We're on a small island outside of Japan." He paused and reached out a hand. "Come with me, I feel that we should talk about this in private," he said.

Ichigo refused the hand but did take several steps towards the man. Aizen gave a small smile that didn't reach his eyes and turned, exiting through a small door not twenty paces behind his chair. Ichigo followed him out to a long narrow hallway, white on white, ceiling and floor and wall almost all melding together. All of sudden there was movement.

"Stop!" He heard someone call. "Lilynette!"

In front of him was a giant white wolf, in mid leap. She hit him hard, both of them tumbling to the ground, with her on top.

"Ha haahahahahaa!" Ichigo giggled as the wolf licked his face enthusiastically.

"Oh, that's odd," a man said, walking up behind the wolf.

They could almost be brothers, Ichigo thought, looking at the two men. Both were tall and lanky, although not thin. Both had grace when they walked, uncommon for men over six feet tall with such long limbs.

"This is Starrk," Aizen introduced the man. "That would be Lilynette," he pointed to the wolf that was still pinning Ichigo down with kisses.

Starrk had longer hair than Aizen, of a deep brown. Aizen's eye were a chocolaty brown, but had none of the warmth that the color conveyed. Starrk's eyes, a steely blue, offered more emotion, although shaded carefully.

"You big pooch!" Ichigo said, roughhousing with the wolf, grabbing her mouth and nose.

"She's not a dog, you should be careful," Starrk warned the boy, concerned for his safety. Although considering how happy Lilynette looked he doubted he needed to worry.

"I know she's a wolf. She's a beautiful Arctic Wolf," Ichigo said, his eyes sparkling. "They're normally not this friendly."

"She usually isn't, although I have to wonder how many wolves you run into that you'd know what normal is," Starrk questioned with a raised eyebrow.

"I'm a docent at our regional wild life park and aquarium. Or…well, the one in my town, who knows where I've been taken. I guess you said an island?" Ichigo asked.

"You are not too far from home," Aizen assured him.

"Anyways, I'm studying to be a zoologist, and I work with wild animals all the time," Ichigo explained, now sitting up with Lilynette huddled in a ball on his lap.

"You should probably know, we think he's a half breed as well," Aizen mentioned to Starrk.

"Really?" Starrk looked at Ichigo with interest.

"What do you mean by 'halfbreed'?" Ichigo asked.

"You said you haven't been bitten. Does that mean that you've grown up being this way?" Aizen queried.

"Yes," Ichigo answered.

"Usually that means that the mother was bitten just before conception, since vampires cannot conceive, but the changeover takes several months. If it had happened after she was pregnant, she would have lost the baby."

Ichigo paled a little at that. "My mom died when I was young, I don't know a lot about her."

"Don't worry, I'm a halfbreed and I'm ranked number one out of all the ten on the Elder's Council," Starrk told Ichigo.

"I don't know what the means. I'm not even sure if I'm a vampire. I mean, I've never drunk anyone's blood or anything and I haven't…" Ichigo's eyes went wide as Starrk calmly reached over and severed part of his wrist with a sharp finger nail. Rich, dark blood began to weep from his wrist. Ichigo grabbed his throat. "Auuughh!" he moaned.

"It hurts? Like you can't breathe?" Aizen asked. "Drink," he ordered.

Starrk reached forward and Ichigo eagerly grabbed his wrist, only pausing for a moment before diving in, lapping at the area with his lip and sucking on it deeply.

Starrk moaned at the feeling, bringing his other hand up to his mouth and biting at his fist to keep himself in control. Ichigo looked up at him, but didn't stop.

Aizen seemed to find Starrk's reaction amusing. "It is a very sensual feeling," he explained to Ichigo. Aizen's eyes had become darker with the scent of blood wafting in the air. He looked at Ichigo, now on his knees in front of Starrk, and began to crave the boy even more than his original curiosity had let him to. Before he was simply a diversion; he was becoming more.

"You've seen him before," Aizen said to Starrk, who was watching the boy with barely concealed lust of his own.

"Yes," Starrk admitted.

Ichigo pulled away, Starrk's rapid healing and Ichigo's saliva already sealing his wound. "I've never seen you before," he said, his voice low. He blushed after saying it, feeling that it came out as a come on. In truth, he did find Starrk very attractive; he would have remembered him.

"He dreams the future, sometimes," Aizen explained. "He dreams of everything from the things of greatest of importance to things not of the least of importance. For instance, if he just dreamed of you yesterday, it's not of importance. If he dreamed of you a month ago, then it could be significant."

"I dreamed of this meeting three days ago," Starrk said.

"Well then," Aizen stated.

"But, I've been dreaming about this person all my life," Starrk continued.

"Interesting," Aizen commented.

Ichigo was wondering why that was all Aizen said. In his own mind he was yelling, "What? How? When?"

Starrk often dreamed of Ichigo. In the dream he was remembering now, Ichigo was sitting in the snow, next to a frozen lake. His face was buried in Starrk's fur. "Coyote," he said to him. "I love how warm you always are."

There were several things to be gleaned from that fragment of a memory, of a future memory. First of all, no one knew Starrk's wolf name. All wolves had a name that others call them, and a name that those within their pack call them. Their pack name was often something tangible, something that was around them in the forest or out on the tundra. Lilynette was long for Lily, the white flowers that were around the hollowed out hillside that Starrk had found her in. In his dream, Ichigo knew it. Not a single person other than Starrk knew his name. Wolves are secret about things like that to people outside their pack. Having someone's pack name meant that you had power of obligation over them, never something to give anyone lightly.

But in the dream Ichigo knew it, so in the future Starrk would trust him more than any other person he'd ever met.

Also, he was in the snow. He was complaining about the cold but didn't look frost burned, although he was only wearing normal clothing. That meant he was not in fact half human, the human part would be sick and dying in those conditions. No, he was a full blooded vampire. He either just didn't remember getting bitten, or he never had been. If he hadn't been…then he was just like Aizen here. That wasn't something that Starrk was willing to bring up.

Ichigo looked at Starrk's healed wrist. He felt odd. He felt hotter than usual, stronger than he did before. He felt like he could taste better, hear better, and smell better. He held his own wrist up to Starrk. "I suppose fair is fair, right?"

Starrk looked over at Aizen, who shrugged. "Just not the neck," he told his subordinate. He was saving the neck for himself.

Aizen doesn't realize that Ichigo is full blooded and that my blood is the first he's tasted, Starrk thought. He doesn't know that my blood will be your first, not your mother's. I should tell him now, but I won't. From now on, you and I will have a special bond, and I want that dearly. My dreams have been obsessed with you. Even the fact that he will be later drinking you, partaking of your body, bothers me. I need to never reveal how much you are to me, and how much power you will have. Right now you are empty and weak. One would assume a full blooded vampire who had never drunk blood to be dead by this point. You are alive and look well. I can only assume that means you are powerful beyond measure, Ichigo.

Starrk wanted to do the full seduction; it was always the best part of the bite. Since it was just the wrist, and also Aizen was watching, he merely licked at Ichigo's hand for a moment, like a dog, before biting into the tendons at the wrist. Even so, Ichigo gasped with pain and pleasure, and Starrk had to almost physically hold himself down from going for the neck at hearing it. It tasted so beautiful too, a refined taste one wouldn't associate with someone as young as Ichigo was; Spiced honey, flowing mead.

Starrk pulled himself away, licking at his lips delicately to get the last few drops. Ichigo's face was pale, his lips open and slightly red from where he had bit into them. He looked amazing. Starrk decided to look at Lilynette instead, not wanting to openly ogle the boy in front of Aizen.

Aizen had no problem enjoying to the fullest the way Ichigo looked. He already looked half ravished, and Aizen was looking forward to completing the job. In fact…

"Can you watch him one moment?" Aizen asked Starrk.

"Of course, Lord Aizen," Starrk answered. He didn't look into Aizen's eye, knowing what he'd see there. He knew Aizen was going into his chambers ahead of them to clear out anyone who was there and to prepare his bed for its latest conquest.

"I don't understand what he does to me when he's around," Ichigo said quietly.

"It's his…charm…you could say," Starrk replied. "Also, you should be aware that he capable of a devastatingly high level of hypnosis and can make you hallucinate many things."

"That's kind of scary," Ichigo admitted.

"It is."

"I guess that mean's I'm going to sleep with him then," Ichigo laughed nervously.

Starrk looked over at him.

"I've never been with anyone before," Ichigo said. "Never wanted to worry about losing control at the last second and hurting someone, you know?"

Starrk groaned internally. Aizen was going to deflower his Ichigo…and he was going to let him. "Nothing?" Starrk asked. "Not even a kiss?"

"No," Ichigo said. "Even then I was worried I might nick someone and then freak out or…who knows…"

Starrk couldn't handle that. He wrapped his arms around Ichigo, pulling him close. "Then give me your first kiss," he said, seriously.

Ichigo paused and then gave in, still feeling Starrk's blood in his veins. He moved his face forward, lightly pressing his lips against Starrk's. Starrk moved his mouth slightly, engaging Ichigo's and tasting his mouth slightly.

Starrk's heart was still, everything in his body was completely quiet, completely taking in this moment and everything with it. When they pulled away he told himself, I had his first bite, and gave him his first blood. I've had his first kiss. I will make sure I am his first love. Aizen can have him for now; I know that I have to wait. But, I've already laid claim on his soul and I won't let him get away.

The two of them stood standing several feet apart and were still silent when Aizen returned, the panting of Lilynette as Ichigo pet her the only sound.

"Come with me," Aizen told Ichigo, motioning to his private quarters.

Ichigo gulped and followed him.

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_A/N: So that's the beginning! I've given all the vampires powers that they all have (which would be usual vampire stuff, along with the ability to shot ceros), and powers that just specific vampires will have (i.e. Kaien's shape shifting). I thought that having Starrk be a pre-cog who dreams of the future while asleep as a fun reason for him always being practically narcoleptic. He is a half vampire half werewolf, which I'll get into later. Let me know what you think of the beginning of the series!_


	2. The First Time

**The First Time**

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Aizen's quarters were massive, one large room with a hallway to the side that Ichigo assumed was where the bathroom facilities where. Bay windows opened out onto a moonlight garden. Tea lights lit the path to a circular fountain with three posed flower maidens in the center, pouring water from their baskets. The room itself was the same white on white at the rest of the palace, with the occasional highlight of black. The feeling of the room was crispy and clean, almost clinical. The garden appeared to be lovely but it didn't put Ichigo at ease. He was nervous about being alone with this man he had just met, one of the first vampires he'd ever seen. He wasn't sure what to expect or how to act. Acting casual seemed ridiculous, but he didn't want to appear to be frightened. In truth, he was a little excited, the man who was leading him exuded calmness, class, and mystery. His actions were that of a high nobleman, something out of a movie Ichigo had once watched where the people all wore white gloves and hats and rode around on horses in the English countryside.

Aizen led him to a pile of cushions near a lit marble fireplace. Ichigo reclined on a gray pillow and accept the glass offered to him, sniffing at it before taking an exploratory sip.

"I have some tea if you'd prefer," Aizen said, noticing the slight wince at Ichigo drank the sake.

"I'm not much of a drinker. I'm still pretty young," Ichigo said with a laugh. "I'd love some tea."

Aizen spent several minutes preparing the tea himself. He enjoyed the soothing nature of the task, and chose his favorite tea set to serve Ichigo. He handed Ichigo a small hand painted cup. "This tea is called Tieguanyin. It is very rare and very expensive, but it is my favorite. It's an oolong tea from China," he explained, inhaling the aroma deeply before taking a cautious sip. He didn't need to be worried though; he always allowed tea to seep at the perfect temperature and never burned himself. He glanced over at his guest, glad to see a small smile on his face. Aizen imagined that the boy didn't smile that often, not that he minded. The boy's frowns were adorable enough. It was more sincere than the fake smiles that some of his comrades always wore. His second in command, Gin Ichimaru, always wore a smile, a very dangerous smile that went from mischievous to deadly as fast as a cobra strike. "Are you enjoying it?" Aizen asked the boy.

Ichigo nodded. He wasn't a connoisseur of tea by any means, but he enjoyed a cup when it was cold and crisp outside like it was on this autumn night. The fire roared pleasantly, the tea tingled at his tongue, and he began to relax into the soft cushion at his back.

"Tell me about yourself," Aizen said.

"I'm 19," Ichigo said. "I just started college. Like I said I'm studying zoology."

"Minoring in what?"

"I'm not sure yet. I love art and literature, so something along those lines," Ichigo said, sipping at his tea.

"Family?" Aizen queried.

"I have a father and two younger sisters. I'm estranged from my dad though," Ichigo explained. "He always blamed me for my mother's death and I was always scared I would accidentally hurt my sisters, so when we had a big fight just before I left for college I left things the way they were. I do see my sisters occasionally, but not for more than a couple of hours."

"You have nothing to be afraid of," Aizen said. "There are many ways of controlling yourself. In fact, since you've said you haven't been drinking blood, I imagine you have more control that the average vampire."

"So…are there a lot of places like this? Collections of vampires? Palaces?" Ichigo asked.

"Not like this. There are small groups here and there, clans of vampires. There is only one Las Noches though."

"So you're the top dog?" Ichigo asked, looking at the man across from him. He could believe it. The man was all control and poise. He could see him as a ruler, as a king.

"Yes," Aizen answered succinctly.

"What about this man that I look like? Kaien?" Ichigo asked.

"Let's not talk about that right now," Aizen said, reaching out with his hand and lowering Ichigo's cup, looking at him intently. "Just know that there are many vampire clans and that he is from one of the most powerful."

"Do you think we might be related?"

"No," Aizen said. Ichigo gasped at how close Aizen had gotten so suddenly. He hadn't even seen him move. He gulped, breathing in Aizen's smell, the smell of tea mixed with mint.

"I…um…" Ichigo stammered.

Aizen drew his thumb across Ichigo's jaw line, raising his lips up. He gently brushed them with his own lips, not fully kissing him. "Tell me, have you ever been touched before?" Aizen asked, seeing Ichigo's nervousness.

"N-no," Ichigo breathed.

Beautiful, Aizen thought to himself with a smile. "Due to how long we vampires live, it is extremely rare to find a virgin among us," he said, rubbing his teeth gently along Ichigo's neck, not piercing the flesh.

Ichigo began to feel warmer. The skin that Aizen touched began to tingle. "What are you doing?" he asked.

"All vampire fangs are slightly poisoned," Aizen said. Ichigo drew back sharply. Aizen chuckled as he drew him towards him again. "It's not a bad thing," he explained. "We don't feel our own venom, but on others it acts as both an antiseptic and aphrodisiac. It lessens the pain of the bite and brings greater pleasure to our…subjects…"

Ichigo was glad he hadn't used the word "victims". Still, "subjects" made humans seem lower than vampires. Ichigo wondered if vampires viewed themselves as a class above.

"Wait a minute, aphrodisiac? You're drugging me?" Ichigo asked.

"It's a natural drug, the same as using pheromones," Aizen said in his calming voice. "Besides, having drunk Starrk's blood already blasted you with enough chemicals to put you in a temporary high, not to mention he bit you as well, touching you with his own fangs and venom."

Ichigo could definitely feel the cocktail of chemicals surging through his blood now. He had been fighting it before, trying to focus on the fire, on the tea, anything other than Aizen's long white neck, gracefully arching and just waiting to be pierced. He felt like his fangs were pulsing, he kept opening and closing his mouth to stretch his jaw and tightening throat.

"Ichigo," Aizen whispered into his ear, causing him to shudder. "Ichigo, do you want me to touch you?" he asked in his subtly seductive voice.

Ichigo merely nodded, closing his eyes at Aizen's voice. He heard Aizen give a low chuckle, felt teeth on his neck again, Aizen's fingers running around his neck. He felt a slight tug on his shirt and opened his eyes. He helped Aizen remove it, realizing he didn't want to get blood on his favorite band t-shirt, from a local band his best friend Chad played in called "The Surefire Thing". He tried not to tremble telling himself he was shivering from the cold, although cold never really affected him. Aizen hands moved across his chest, caressing him, then went around his back, pulling him closer. Ichigo allowed himself to be moved, not convincing himself that he was fully going to give in, but realizing he was at least curious to go along with it for now. His hormones wouldn't let him withdraw yet. He needed to know what it was like, not only to be with another person, but to be with another vampire. The kiss with Starrk had been great. Kisses always seemed odd to him, something he both longed for and didn't know what the big deal was with. But feeling Starrk's lip on his own, feeling his tongue lap gently at his lips, had been wonderful. It was the beginning of entirely new sensations for Ichigo.

Ichigo hadn't been paying attention so he gasped when he felt Aizen kissing at his chest. Aizen was holding him in place, but he arched his back at the touch. Aizen again was running his fangs along Ichigo's skin, driving Ichigo even further into lust. He gently kissed at Ichigo lips, tugging at his bottom lip as he left, going down to the neck. He careful plotted his course, his fangs entering Ichigo just above where his neck and shoulder met. Ichigo gasped and clung to Aizen. He could feel Aizen began to suck at him, warmth and heat filling him, lust beginning to completely cloud his earlier intentions of not going very far with this strange vampire he barely knew. Instead he was fondling Aizen's lower back, getting the courage to go lower and cup and his ass, encouraged by Aizen's groan at his neck.

Aizen pulled him onto his lap, never leaving his neck, slowly sipping at Ichigo's blood. Ichigo was getting light headed but felt a spike in his blood pressure at feeling Aizen's hard erection press into his ass.

Aizen finally pulled his fangs away, kissing at Ichigo's neck, deliberately seeking out points that made Ichigo gasp and clutch at him. He gave a low groan as he heard Ichigo call out of his name.

The first time is always one of the strongest, Aizen thought. Ichigo's first full bite and I get him all. He loved the flushed look on Ichigo's face, the clawing of his hands as he tried to figure out what to do with him, his increasingly frantic noises.

"Do you want me, Ichigo?" Aizen asked in that hypnotizing voice of his.

Ichigo groaned.

"Do you want me to take you, Ichigo?" Aizen asked, whispering in his ear.

"…Aizen…" Ichigo called out softly.

Aizen smiled and stood up, easily taking Ichigo with him. He carried him to his large mahogany four poster bed, draped with sheer white fabric along the edges, piled high with pillows. Ichigo looked up at Aizen as he was gently laid down, his eyes wide, his blood coursing through his veins and roaring his ears. To Aizen, Ichigo looked completely delectable, his mouth open as he panted, his flush spread across his cheekbones and the ridge of his nose. He had never had anyone reject him, and he had known that Ichigo wouldn't be the first. If he had given him problems he would have used other means of convincing, but as it turned out, his berry was already ripe for the picking, a tender morsel ready to eaten up.

He carefully pulled off the rest of Ichigo's clothing, the boy helping slightly, but more or less lost in the sensations as Aizen continually caressed and rubbed at him, both with his hands and with his fangs. Ichigo was beginning to feel on fire, from the chemicals blasting through him and from the tips of Aizen's well trained fingers, prodding and pulling him exactly in the most erotic of ways. Ichigo was putty in his hands; barely thinking as Aizen moved his body around and became to prepare him.

Ichigo gasped slightly as he felt Aizen's finger in him, but didn't feel any pain, Aizen having discreetly pulled out some lube from a nightstand near his bed and coated his fingers before entering. The second finger was uncomfortable, and the third more so, but still not painful because of cocktail of pain relieving drugs having been released into Ichigo's system. Even so, he imagined the next part would hurt, and he tried to not brace himself, tried to relax. Aizen smiled seeing the boy in front of him on hands and knees stiffen, he leaned forward and bit at his neck again, this time on the other side. Ichigo arched his back and Aizen made his move. Ichigo didn't even feel him until he was pressing in, being distracted by the pain and pleasure of the bite. He groaned at feeling himself filled and his insides tugged at. It was an unpleasant feeling, his walls stinging and his muscles pulling in new ways. His lower back ached.

"Just a moment," Aizen assured him in his velvety voice.

How did I wind up here? Ichigo wondered. I never planned on letting it go this far, at least not immediately. What if he doesn't even like me and is just using me? What about Starrk, why did he kiss me? Why did he seem like…Ichigo was drawn from his thoughts as he felt a small movement within himself; Aizen testing the waters to see if Ichigo had adjusted to his length yet. Ichigo groaned at the feeling, but not in pain. Aizen smiled to himself and began to pick up the pace, thrusting in a slow rhythm that tortured the boy. Finally Aizen changed angles to search for the boy's prostate. Ichigo cried out and Aizen knew he had found it.

Ichigo felt embarrassed by his noises, his moans and cries of passion. He didn't have to worry though, Aizen found everything about the experience delectable. He couldn't remember the last time he'd been with a virgin, at least a vampire virgin. Vampires were always better than humans, being able to take much higher levels of both pleasure and pain than their mortal cousins. He knew that even though it was the first time for Ichigo, he'd be able to hold out for quite a long time, especially with someone like Aizen behind the wheel. He tried to make it as good of an experience for Ichigo as possible, knowing that he wanted to take Ichigo for a permanent lover, at least for awhile. With Kaien gone, he had been bored. Kaien's shapeshifting had offered a lot of fun in the bedroom, but in the end it was still the same person. This was a new experience, and he was enjoying it very much. He also knew that since Ichigo was new, he wouldn't be expecting to suck Aizen's blood, something he had never let a lover do. It was something that had been an issue between him and Kaien. It allowed far too much control over him and it was far too intimate for Aizen to ever allow it. The transfer of power, although slight, wasn't something he ever wanted to participate in. In fact, he had never been bitten. Changing over had been fully on his own power, and he didn't want to relinquish any of it, even temporarily to a lover.

Ichigo had long been past any pain and was thoroughly enjoying himself. Aizen knew he'd still probably be sore later so he decided to end things, picking up the pace of his thrusts, hitting Ichigo's prostate on every move. He reached forward to grab onto Ichigo's throbbing arousal and began to stroke it in time with his thrusts, feeling Ichigo gasp and writhe beneath him. Finally, Ichigo came, gasping for air, feeling like he was going to pass out.

Ichigo felt like he was pouring out his entire self onto the sheets as he ejaculated, pumping himself out over and over again until he was empty and exhausted, but still riding high. He felt Aizen shudder slightly as he clamped down on him, and felt him come as well, deep inside of him. The two of them pulled away and lay down on the soiled sheets, breathing deeply, completely sated.

Aizen watched Ichigo as he began to get drowsy. He helped the sleepy boy clean himself and then left him on the bed to get some rest.

* * *

"What do you want?" Grimmjow asked Starrk. Starrk had a wild look in his eye that was unusual for the sleepy man.

In answer, Starrk grabbed the vampire and kissed at him passionately.

"Mmm," Grimmjow moaned, always up for a little fun, especially with such a little used plaything as Starrk was. He gestured for his fraccion to leave them alone, his eyes glittering in the half light. "So what brings this on?"

"Does it matter? I just need to be distracted. I'm…riled up…" Starrk could feel Ichigo's blood running in his veins, feel the chemicals from Ichigo's fangs setting his body on fire. Starrk wasn't really a super sexual creature, but that didn't mean he never felt more primal urges. The kid's blood was something else though, he needed more of it; he needed Ichigo. He felt like screaming. So he did the quickest and easiest thing he could think of and had launched himself at the incubus.

"Someone has a little bloodlust going on," Grimmjow joked, seeing Starrk's fangs. "Aw!" he cried out as Starrk bit into him deeply. Grimmjow responded by biting into Starrk as well, the two of them clinging to each other before eventually collapsing onto the nearest surface, one of Grimmjow's many overstuffed divans.

"Good lord, what got into you?" Grimmjow said happily later that evening, lounging in Starrk's arms.

"I…still need more," Starrk said, kissing at Grimmjow's neck which was already laced with hickeys and bite marks.

"Of course," Grimmjow replied with a wide grin, pulling the vampire towards him.

* * *

Ichigo woke up not nearly as sore as he thought he would be. He wondered what he should do, waking up alone in the large room by himself. Walking to the attached hallway he found a bathroom with a raised bathtub in it. Yeah, that looked like a good idea, Ichigo thought to himself, running the hot water. As he soaked, he wondered what he had gotten himself into.

"Why hello," a voice at the door called in.

Ichigo jumped, trying to cover himself.

"Um, hi?" Ichigo asked nervously.

"Aren't you just adorable?" the silver headed man said with a smile and a lilt in his voice.

"Who are you?"

"My name is Gin Ichimaru. I'm the second in command here. I'm a warlock, like Aizen is," the man explained.

"Warlock?" Ichigo asked.

"Oh, I guess he was a little too busy to explain things to you," Gin said, setting himself next to the bath, making Ichigo uneasy.

"Can you…wait outside?" Ichigo asked.

"Sure, darling," Gin said, the endearing term making Ichigo wince. Gin waited in the doorway, with his back turned. "I left some clean clothes in there for you as well," he mentioned.

Ichigo dried himself off hurriedly and dressed, realizing it was the same type of clothing that everyone else in the palace was wearing, white with black detail work. His was loose fitting pants that tied around his waste with a longer kimono robe that was split down the middle. It was comfortable and Ichigo found that he liked the look, not that he'd wear it out in public or anything.

"There are many type of creatures and humans," Gin said from the doorway. "Beside regular humans there are warlocks, vampires, and various types of demons and other beasts that usually are aligned with the vampires. Warlocks are humans with special powers, but they are still mortal."

"But, you said Aizen was a warlock. He's a vampire," Ichigo stated, drying his hair.

"Aizen is an alchemist. He found a way to change himself, as well as two of his subordinates, me and Kaname Tosen, into vampires without having to be bitten. He was hoping to have the best of both worlds, the strengths of a warlock and a vampire in one body. He pulled it off, and became ruler over the vampires and the creatures that are associated with them."

"I'm human, or part human, or whatever…I've never seen a warlock or heard of anyone with powers," Ichigo said.

"Sure you have, but they're very good at hiding them," Gin said. "Besides, compared to regular humans there are not that many of them. Warlocks run human society though, just as vampires rule the world of the unearthly creatures, the creatures you'd consider mythological. At least, that's how it was. Aizen wants more than that, and it's caused a little bit of a…well, a war I suppose you'd call it."

"Wouldn't I know about a war?"

"It hasn't really started yet. Someone like you would notice odd goings on, I'm sure, but others won't when it's started. We are gaining ground because the warlocks like sticking to their magic; they're all mages and alchemists. Kaname is a necromancer. We vampires however have been moving forward with new technology, embracing innovation. I have no doubt we'll win in the end."

"How old are you?" Ichigo asked.

"Oh, well I'm fairly young by vampire standards, a couple of hundred years old," Gin said. "A baby really. Even the warlocks, although mortal, can live for thousands of years through their magic."

"Wow. So I'll live for a long time then?"

"How old are you?"

"19."

Gin laughed lowly. "Yes, you have a very long life ahead of you, my boy. You're like an infant."

"Thanks," Ichigo responded dryly.

"Oh well, time for you to go out and meet everyone."

"I saw them before, didn't I?"

"Aizen has called a meeting, so everyone will be there. I guess you're being introduced as a new member of the team," Gin said.

"He…didn't talk to me about it," Ichigo said nervously.

"Oh, I doubted he did. He just does whatever suits him and rarely explains himself. But, congratulations on your promotion."

"Promotion?"

"Well, to Aizen's lover."

Ichigo turned red. "I hope that's not my official title," he replied.

Gin laughed. "You really are cute! I'm going to love working with you, doll."

"Can you not do that?" Ichigo said with a groan.

"Something wrong, babe?"

"...great..." Ichigo sighed.

"Let's not be late," Gin said, leading Ichigo to the large meeting room that they called "The War Room".


	3. The Feeding

**The Feeding**

* * *

The meeting was set in a great hall with a long table surrounded by high backed chairs. The table was left empty aside from white china placed out for tea. It looked like an extra chair, smaller than the others, had been pulled up next to Aizen, who was sitting at the head. He gestured for Ichigo to come over. Ichigo could feel curiosity rolling off the people that started filling the seats. There were twelve. Gin sat immediately to Aizen's right, and a dark skinned man wearing dread locks and dark glasses sat to his left. "Kaname Tosen," he introduced himself to Ichigo. Ichigo reached for his hand hesitantly. "I am blind, but I can see more you think," the man said, easily grabbing onto Ichigo's hand.

"S-Sorry," Ichigo apologized in embarrassment. "My name is Ichigo Kurosaki."

Kaname looked over towards Gin's side of the table with a frown. "What clan are you from?" he asked.

"I-I'm not from a clan," Ichigo stated.

"Interesting," was the response.

"Everyone is here," Aizen said quietly from the head of the table. Everyone stilled and looked at him. "As you may have noticed, we have two newcomers today. Shiro Shiba will be taking Kaien's place at the Elder's Council for the Shiba clan," Aizen gestured to an albino vampire who had glowing golden eyes on black sclera who was eyeing Ichigo with relish. Now that Ichigo thought about it, they looked very similar. He could see why the big vampire, Yammy, had thought that they were from the same family.

"Thanks," Shiro responded. "I'm not sure where my cousin ran off to, but I'll be sure to let you know when I find him."

"I'll be very interested to know what he's up to," Aizen stated simply. Shiro nodded as if given an order. Ichigo wondered if he had been. "The vampire next to me is new to you all, his name is Ichigo Kurosaki." That was all he said, and more than a few eyebrows went up. Grimmjow chuckled to himself.

Aizen wasn't a man of great passions, although he did have one overriding one that drove his life. He wasn't thrown for a loop easily by good looks or a winning personality. He wouldn't have brought his latest plaything to the table if he didn't think that he was important in some way. The fact that Starrk had dreamed about him his whole life was testament to his importance. Aizen would have to question Starrk about those dreams later. Most vampires had their own powers, perhaps Ichigo was going to be useful in the upcoming war, or maybe he was the key to victory in some other way. Aizen was a believer in fate, no matter how he hated it and fought against it. There was a reason Ichigo was here, and he would find it and use it to his advantage. Even if he had not been attracted to the boy it was probable that he would have taken him as a lover just to encourage closeness between the two, to wrap his influence around the boy.

Starrk was alternatively fascinated by the boy, wanting to do nothing other than look at him, and disgusted, wanting to look away. The bites from Aizen had healed, but there was still bruising, and the boy had red marks along his jawline. Starrk didn't blame Ichigo for it, as he had said, Aizen would get want he wanted no matter the way he had to go about it, but that didn't mean he wanted to look at the obviously ravished boy.

The meeting itself had to do with the changeover from Kaien to Shiro, as well as a brief introduction for Ichigo to the members of the council. Ichigo was never good with names, and he really hoped that no one would be offended when he forgot them later on. Yammy he remembered and he knew he'd remember Gin and Kaname. He couldn't forget Starrk, and the ones named Shiro and Grimmjow were looking at him like they wanted to eat him. Which, now that he thought about it, maybe they did. He'd have to get used to the whole "everyone is a vampire" thing. He wondered how it was that Grimmjow was an incubus and a vampire, or if that was common, and what the others were, or if they had powers like Starrk, being a werewolf.

After the meeting, Aizen took him to the Amazonian looking vampire with light eyelashes and blond hair. She had a scarf wrapped tightly around her neck, covered her face. Ichigo wondered why she didn't just wear a longer shirt if she was so cold, since her belly shirt was so short as to almost fully revealed the bottom of her breasts. "Hallibel," he told her. "Take care of him."

"What?" she asked.

"He needs to be fed," Aizen said over his shoulder.

Hallibel looked stricken. "You don't expect me to…"

Aizen was already walking away, leaving Ichigo behind.

"Um, it's ok, I'll just make myself a sandwich or something," Ichigo said.

Hallibel gave him a look. "That's not what he was talking about. He meant blood," she told him.

Ichigo paled a little. "Oh hey, you don't have to do that!"

"Hallibel," Starrk walked up to her. "I know that you…don't prefer men," he said. Ichigo wondered what that had to do with anything. "I can take care of him for you," Starrk suggested.

"Thank you," she said sincerely.

"I'm sorry, I don't mean to be a bother, you guys don't have to do anything," Ichigo insisted.

"Aizen wants you to get stronger," Hallibel told him. "I assume that why he wants you to drink other vampires' blood. Although why he doesn't just offer his own…"

"I can handle it," Starrk said. Hallibel gave a nod and left. Starrk began to led Ichigo to his chambers, wanting some privacy for what he was about to do. He was trying to fight the excitement that made his blood pump harder. Ichigo is mine…at least for now…he thought. I won't be able to touch him in the way I want, but I can make him mine. I can feed him and make him stronger, I can feel his venom running through me again. Starrk shuddered, thinking about how he had reacted just to the small bite on his hand, where Ichigo had barely used his fangs at all. "Don't take offense," he told Ichigo as they walked. "Hallibel prefers to be with women."

"But…I mean it's just blood sucking, right? It's not like he told her to…have sex with me," Ichigo said with a blush.

"You have to know by now that it's a very intimate experience. Especially if done together. Sharing blood is something those very close to each other do; good friends, family, and lovers. It's not something that you want to do with a strange vampire."

"But don't vampires just suck the blood of random humans? I thought that how it worked."

"Sometimes, but then again, it's always humans that they are attracted to. You don't normally find a drug addled wino sucked dry or sipped on, it's always the governor's daughter…or the governor himself, depending," Starrk explained.

"You do that to family members? That seems…incestuous," Ichigo said.

"Our clans aren't usually direct family members. Remember, vampires cannot bear children," Starrk opened the door to his room, his hand slightly trembling. Am I going to be able to resist him? He was wondering. Aizen picked Hallibel for a reason. He obviously wants Ichigo completely for himself. Starrk sighed at the thought, his thoughts growing dark as he thought about Aizen touching Ichigo, hovering over him, his body rubbing on him. Starrk growled.

"I'm sorry," Ichigo apologized. "You probably don't want to do this anymore than Hallibel does."

Starrk turned towards Ichigo with fire in his eyes. "Don't ever think I don't want you," he said lowly.

"What?" Ichigo was unprepared for the emotion that he saw pouring out of Starrk.

"Trust me," Starrk was holding him close now. "Trust me that I only fight to keep myself from going too far. I will never hold back because I don't want you, because I've loved you before we even met," Starrk told him, his mouth over his ear. He couldn't be too careful, for all he knew, Aizen was in the room with them, watching, using his hypnosis to hide himself from them both. Ichigo shuddered at the contact. "Do you believe me?" he whispered to Ichigo, his fangs running over his neck.

"I…." Ichigo didn't know what to think, and it's not like what Starrk was doing to his body was making him think any clearer.

"Bite me," Starrk pulled back his long hair, revealing his long neck. He arched it to the side, offering Ichigo his jugular. Ichigo, having Starrk's venom on his skin, was feeling the urge to drink blood that he had felt since Aizen had drunk him, fought with himself. "I want you to," Starrk said. "You need it to get stronger," he said. "Let me show you how to be a vampire," he said seductively.

Ichigo moved closer, his eyes dark with blood lust. He wasn't sure what he was supposed to do, so he mimicked the movements Aizen had done to him, tracing his fangs over the area again and again.

"Ichigo!" Starrk was moaning, pushing again him tightly in a way that did nothing to hide his arousal. "Ichigo, don't torture me," he said with a groan, burying his hands in Ichigo's hair.

Ichigo gulped and then moved closer, finally feeling his newly elongated fangs press into flesh. He gasped as he hit the vein, feeling the sudden rush of warmth into his mouth. He began to suck, drinking with gusto, feeling Starrk quiver under him. He forced himself to pull away before he was finished. "You said that friends drink each other?" he said, his voice raspy with blood and lust.

"Yes," Starrk breathed.

"Drink me then," Ichigo told the vampire. Starrk doubt it was what Aizen had in mind but he couldn't resist the offer. He bit into the boys offered neck, feeling the boy return to his. The mix of sensations, of sucking and be sucked, always was exquisite. The connection between them grew and Starrk could practically feel the boy's presence swirling in his veins. He quickly pulled away.

"Enough," Starrk moaned. "I can't take more," he claimed. He didn't mean that he couldn't afford to give more blood just that he was moments from losing control and undressing the boy. Ichigo was shaking, feeling the rush. He pulled himself off. "You should go now," Starrk said, trying to not look at the object of his affections, knowing that he be too tempted to draw him into his gaze if he did. He saw Ichigo nod out of the corner of his eye and leave.

"Grimmjow," Starrk was stumbling down the hall now. He burst into Grimmjow's quarters without even knocking. "Grimmjow, I need you," he grabbed onto the incubus, still shaking.

"The last one was free, this will cost you," Grimmjow claimed.

"Take whatever you want," Starrk claimed. "Drain me and knock me out for all I care," he said.

"Oh, I'll take you up on that, but not until we have a little fun," Grimmjow eyes were sparkling. He nipped at Starrk's neck and moaned. "You taste fantastic," he said. "It's…it's that boy, isn't it? This is his taste."

"Yes, I had to feed him," Stark explained. Everyone knew that Aizen never fed his lovers for some reason.

"It's amazing," Grimmjow said, growling lowly in his ear. "No wonder you can't take it. Poor little boy didn't want to play, huh?"

"He…might have," Starrk said. "But I wouldn't want him to get in trouble with Aizen."

"You mean _you_ don't want to get in trouble with Aizen," Grimmjow corrected.

No, I would face his wrath for such a sweet treat, Starrk thought. Who knows what he'd do to poor Ichigo though. Aizen has ways of torture that exceed the human mind, things that Ichigo had probably never heard of.

* * *

"Are you sure that you want to go back to school?" Aizen said, playing with his lover's hair in the firelight.

"I still have my life," Ichigo said. "I'm not really part of all of this. I have winter break coming up soon, I can visit then and learn more about…about being a vampire, but for now I need to finish my semester."

Aizen pretended that he agreed with the boy. Secretly he made plans to get Ichigo into the palace as soon as possible. Not only did he prefer the boy to be with him, but it was much safer for him to be there as opposed to the real world.

"You do realize that now that you've drunk blood, you are different?" Aizen asked.

"I feel different," Ichigo admitted.

"It will be easier for our enemies to find you now," Aizen explained.

"I'll just be at the same college at always, I'm not going to be doing anything dangerous, and I certainly won't be drinking any human blood," Ichigo said. Just because he had gotten a taste didn't mean he was going back on what he'd tried for his whole life. It was different with other vampires because they could handle it, they wanted it. He would never injure a human to satiate himself though. He never wanted to harm anyone innocent.

"I'll have Yammy take you back to where he found you," Aizen promised. "Tomorrow morning."

* * *

"There is he, Captain," the large red haired man said with excitement. "I can't believe you felt him all the way in the Seireitei. No one can sense a vampire like you, Captain Kuchiki!"

"He is young," Captain Kuchiki said. "It's possible that he hasn't hurt anyone yet. But we cannot let that stop us. We can't let him run around like he's a human. Plus I sense something odd in him. We need to take care of him at once, Renji."

"Of course, Captain," Renji said, readying himself.

* * *

"What the hell are you?" Ichigo was so shocked he dropped his book bags.

"What do you mean?" the man responded. "You said that like I'm a ghost."

"You…you weren't there a second ago," Ichigo looked back along the trail he took as a short cut back to his student housing.

"I think you were just lost in your thoughts and didn't see me," the red haired man said with a smile. "I didn't mean to startle you. My name is Renji Abarai. I just started going here this semester."

"Well, I figured," Ichigo laughed. "You think I'd have seen those tattoos before." Not to mention that a tall, completely built man with almost waist length dark red hair would have been hard to miss too. "I just started here too. My name is Ichigo Kurosaki."

"Kurosaki," Renji's face scrunched up. "I don't recognize that name."

"Why would you?" Ichigo asked with an awkward laugh.

"True. Um, I live over in the student housing, it looks like you're going there too. Do you mind if I walk with you?" Renji asked.

"Sure," Ichigo agreed. He was feeling a little easier ever since he had met other vampires and realized that he wasn't a danger to the people around him like he'd always feared. Maybe he could actually make some friends instead of sullenly ignoring everyone and hoping to be left alone.

He and Renji chatted as they walked. "This is my complex," Ichigo said, waving good-bye.

"Alright, see you later," Renji said, waving.

As Ichigo opened his door he turned quickly, sensing someone behind him. "Renji?" he asked, before being pushed into his house.

"I'm sorry about this," Renji said. "You seem like a nice enough guy but…"

"But we have no room for vampires in this world," someone finished for him. Ichigo looked up to see a man standing next to Renji. He was shorter than Renji and had long glossy black hair held back in some sort of intricate hair clip. A pure white cashmere scarf was wrapped loosely wrapped around his neck, over an exquisitely tailored Tom Ford suit.

"Vampires? Are you guys crazy?" Ichigo gave a loud fake laugh. He stopped laughed at he saw that both men were now wielding swords. "Whoa! He said, backing up. "You have the wrong idea! I've never hurt anybody!"

"You will in the future then," the sharply dressed man said.

"I've been this way my whole life," Ichigo said. "Why come after me now? Is this just because of Aizen?"

Both men froze. "What do you know about Aizen?" Renji asked.

"I wouldn't answer that," someone from the door said.

"Gin!" Ichigo exclaimed. He looked at the large wolf next to the vampire. Was that…was that…was that large wolf Starrk? The brown shade was exactly the shade of Starrk's hair and he was massive.

The wolf gave a deep growl and jumped at Renji. Gin had drawn his own sword and was engaging the other one. Ichigo backed up onto his bed, not having enough room in the studio to get out of the way completely.

"Byakuya, nice suit," Gin said to the dark haired one.

"Traitor! How dare you speak to my captain!" Renji rushed over but was mauled by Starrk, who tackled him to the ground, nipping near his neck with his razor sharp teeth. Renji cursed, holding out his hands to protect himself, blocking with his sword.

"Renji, the situation is different than we had anticipated. Let us leave," Byakuya said, even as he was dodging attacks from Gin's weapon.

"Running? How cowardly," Gin said.

Renji growled. "You…"

"RENJI!" his captain ordered. Both hit a button located on wristbands that Ichigo hadn't noticed before and teleported out of the room.

Starrk jumped up onto the bed, nuzzling Ichigo's knees. "Thanks," Ichigo said, sinking down and wrapping his arms around the big wolf, burying his face into his coat. He had always preferred to be comforted by animals instead of people anyways.

"Aizen was a little worried about you so he sent us to watch over you. We didn't expect something so sudden, or such a strong attack," Gin wasn't smiling for a change. "We need to get you back to Los Noches. They were able to find you after only a week, something is wrong and we can't leave you here for them to find again."

Ichigo nodded, not letting go of Starrk. Starrk could feel Ichigo's body shaking, coming down from the adrenaline high of being attacked.


	4. In Training

**In Training**

* * *

"Come on Ichigo, we have to go now," Gin urged Ichigo. Ichigo nodded and released Starrk. "Grab anything you want to take with you, I doubt we'll be coming back any time soon," Gin told him.

Ichigo tossed a photo album into his back pack. He hesitated as he looked over his clothing.

"Anything that can be provided for you will be," Gin told him. "Bring only what is irreplaceable."

Ichigo sighed and grabbed the stupid stuffed lion that his sister Yuzu had bought for him and made him take when he had moved out. He didn't really want to cart it around, but he knew it always reminded him of home when he looked at it. At least, it reminded him of the good parts of home.

"I guess that's it," Ichigo said. Pretty sad really, he thought to himself.

"Light packer," Gin noted.

Ichigo realized he had been petting Starrk and wondered if that offended him or not.

"Starrk can't talk when he's in that form, and if he changed back now he'd be…er…well naked," Gin mentioned to Ichigo, when he saw his gaze.

"Oh," Ichigo said. Starrk nuzzled Ichigo's hand and Ichigo smiled.

"Let's get going."

Ichigo followed Gin out the door, followed by Starrk.

* * *

"How…irritating," Aizen said simply when they got back.

"Do you suppose we have a spy amongst us?" Gin wondered.

"Could be," Aizen replied as if it wasn't that important.

Gin shrugged.

"Are you alright?" Aizen asked Ichigo.

"I'm fine…but I did feel kind of helpless. What am I supposed to do when people have swords and weird magic helping them out?" Ichigo answered.

"Ulquiorra," Aizen said.

Ichigo hadn't even noticed the other vampire's presence.

"Yes, my lord?" Ulquiorra responded.

"Please train Ichigo. I will as well of course, but why don't you show him some of the basics first," Aizen instructed him, leaving the room with Gin trailing close behind him.

Ichigo was left alone with Ulquiorra.

"Um, hi," he said, putting out his hand.

"Refer to me as sensei," Ulquiorra replied.

"What?" Ichigo laughed. He felt himself being folded over, finding himself bent almost facing the floor. "What the fuck…" Ichigo grunted.

"There will be no cussing," Ulquiorra ordered. "No outbursts of anger. And you will refer to me as sensei."

Ichigo struggled against Ulquiorra hold briefly. "Damn it…" he breathed. He felt himself being pushed even farther. He groaned.

"I said no cursing," Ulquiorra reiterated.

"Fine…sensei…" Ichigo reluctantly agreed.

"I will show you how to defend yourself as a vampire," Ulquiorra said. "Have you any training in combat?"

"Yeah, I'm a black belt in Karate," Ichigo said.

"And?" Ulquiorra replied.

"And what? I've been beat up a lot and so I have some street fighting experience, but that's about it," Ichigo said.

"Hm," Ulquiorra said while eyeballing him. He threw a fast kick, hitting Ichigo in the side of head.

"What the fuck!" Ichigo moaned from the ground. He received another kick.

"Language!" Ulquiorra repeated. "You move as slowly as a human and you obviously have a learning disability of some sort."

"A WHAT?" Ichigo jumped up.

"This will take a lot of work," Ulquiorra intoned.

Ichigo looked into those unperturbed green eyes and began to get worried about what his training would entail.

* * *

"I can't remember the last time I saw you so upset," Grimmjow said to Ulquiorra.

"Why are you here?" Ulquiorra asked evenly.

Ichigo leaned against the wall, catching his breath.

"I'm jealous," Grimmjow replied with a grin, although he seemed serious. "It used to be only I could annoy you."

"Hm," Ulquiorra said, not even looking up at Grimmjow, instead looking out the nearby window.

"I remember when you used to feel something. When I could make you feel something," Grimmjow continued.

Ulquiorra still didn't reply.

"Damn it, Ulquiorra! I'm talking to you!" Grimmjow yelled at him.

"Ichigo, I expect you to be here tomorrow after breakfast," Ulquiorra addressed the boy leaning against the wall.

"Uh, sure," Ichigo said, looking over at the steaming Grimmjow.

"Ulquiorra, aren't you at least going to…" Grimmjow started, but Ulquiorra walked out of the room.

"DAMN IT!" Grimmjow yelled at Ulquiorra's retreating back. He turned to Ichigo. "Bite me," he said.

"W-what?" Ichigo stuttered. Grimmjow was near him suddenly, his arms on either side of his head to prevent him from moving.

"I said, bite me."

"I'm not going to…"

"You're supposed to get stronger. So, drink," Grimmjow said, his voice holding more of a threat than an offer.

Ichigo was going to argue but something seemed off about the other vampire. It's not that he knew Grimmjow well, or at all, but he didn't want to push him any farther.

Ichigo's fangs began to elongate and he leaned forward.

"Just bite," Grimmjow said. He wanted the pain.

Ichigo felt it was better to not argue and bit Grimmjow deeply. Grimmjow threw his head back in a howl. Ichigo's venom began to work and Grimmjow felt himself come alive. He growled and pressed Ichigo against the wall, his body flush against the younger vampire's. Ichigo began to pull away.

"Don't you stop until I'm weak at the knees," Grimmjow ordered him.

Ichigo complied until Grimmjow could feel himself begin to get light headed. Finally, Grimmjow pushed himself away from Ichigo, leaving the boy panting.

"Damn you, Aizen's pet," Grimmjow growled. Even he knew that he needed to keep his hands off of Ichigo, but he could feel the lust swirling through his body, begging for release. "I need the wolf. He owes me," he stated, stumbling down the hall.

Ichigo watched him. The wolf? Why was Grimmjow going to Starrk?

* * *

Ichigo wandered the hall for a while, before deciding to go and find Starrk. He was directed to Starrk's quarters and knocked on the door.

"Ichigo," Starrk was startled when he saw him. He opened the door wider to allow Ichigo in.

Grimmjow was collapsed on a couch near a roaring fire, asleep and bundled in a large blanket.

"Um," Ichigo said looking at the sleeping figure. "I'm not interrupting something, am I?" he asked.

"No."

"Are you and Grimmjow…?" Ichigo asked.

Starrk laughed. "If you're asking if we're together, the answer is no."

"What is up with him and Ulquiorra?" Ichigo asked.

"Ulquiorra was the one who turned him," Stark explained. "He was always an incubus, he only became a vampire because Ulquiorra was one."

"They were together then?"

"They were in love," Stark said. "Grimmjow actually lived as a woman for a long time so that they could live without reproach from others."

"He what? How is that possible?"

"He's an incubus. Technically they don't have a gender. They can be either sex depending on who it is they're trying to seduce. When he and Ulquiorra lived outside with the humans he lived as a woman and they lived as a married couple."

"That's…odd," Ichigo couldn't imagine Grimmjow as female. "So what happened?"

Starrk shrugged.

* * *

"You couldn't detect me again," Ulquiorra said, his hands across Ichigo's throat.

"You're too fast," Ichigo complained. Ulquiorra released him.

"And you're not even trying to smell me."

"Smell you?" Ichigo hadn't really thought about that. He could tell Ulquiorra was around by the smell of his blood, but not enough to actually know where he was.

"Enough for today," Ulquiorra told him.

They'd been training for about two weeks now. Since Ichigo couldn't go back to school he had lots of time on his hands. At first he was pretty upset to be missing this semester, but Aizen assured him that they could register him at another school in the future and that he could finish his college then if he wished. Aizen also pointed out that there was no reason to finish school, unless he really wanted to. Ichigo had worked so hard to save up to go that not going seemed like a failure to him. Ulquiorra straight out told him that he could no longer live among humans without being danger to himself and that he should give up any of his previous plans. Ichigo didn't really want to consider that he had to give up on everything. He'd always known that he was different and that he'd have to live carefully, but to not be able to live even a semblance of a normal life wasn't something he wanted to do.

"Oh come on," Ichigo said, slinging an arm over Ulquiorra's shoulder. "I'm not tired yet."

"We're done for the day," Ulquiorra insisted.

"Ah, are you really that irritated with me…sensei?"

"I don't get irritated."

"You're definitely something," Ichigo said with a laugh. For some reason he liked the stoic vampire. He was a harsh teacher but Ichigo really had been learning a lot.

Grimmjow entered the room, like he did almost every day. He froze a little seeing Ichigo's arm around Ulquiorra.

"Hey, Ulquiorra, getting a little chummy with your student, aren't you?" Grimmjow asked with a sneer.

Ulquiorra calmly lifted Ichigo's arm off him. "No, he is merely trying to be annoying."

"Ah, good Ichigo, come over to the dark side," Grimmjow joked.

"He's better at it than you are," Ulquiorra told him.

"I refuse to believe that," Grimmjow's eye narrowed. "In fact…"

Ichigo decided to leave.

* * *

"Starrk, you dream things, right?" Ichigo asked. "You can dream the future?"

"Sometimes," Starrk agreed. Ichigo was still sweating slightly from his training, giving him a slight glow. Starrk tried to focus on what Ichigo was saying, trying to ignore he very strong instincts to pounce on the boy and lick him clean.

"Can you dream the past too?"

"What?" It wasn't something that people normally asked.

"Can you?"

"Yes, sometimes I can dream the past as well," Starrk admitted.

"I need you to figure out a way for me to get Grimmjow and Ulquiorra back together."

"Why would you want to do that?"

"It's just something I think I should do," Ichigo shrugged. "They're both obviously hurting."

"They've been apart for longer than you've been born, much longer. What makes you think that they should be back together? It's isn't easy being together with an incubus, and for someone like Grimmjow, being with someone as dispassionate as Ulquiorra is would be infuriating."

"There's definitely still something between them," Ichigo insisted.

"I'll try. But if I do, you'll owe me," Starrk said. "It's hard to do directed dreaming this way."

"I'll owe you what?"

Starrk smiled to himself. "I'll let you know if we get them together."

* * *

_There was small courtyard with a large fountain in it, a cobblestone walkway going around it and leading to a massive pair of doors. A woman with long blue hair was at a stone archway looking out onto the road. The sky went gray and it began to rain. The woman sighed and turned, then froze when there was a splash. She rushed over to the fountain, paused, and then climbed in, wet up to her waist. She picked up something in the center of the fountain and trudged back to the side._

"_What happened, Grimmjow?" Ulquiorra said, coming out the front doors quickly._

_Grimmjow held out a small wet thing, pure black with yellow eyes. "Meow!" the kitten howled, cold and terrified._

"_What is that?"_

"_Oh come on, it's obviously a kitten," Grimmjow answered. She held the kitten to her chest, looking down at the kitten's big eyes, laughing slightly at how miserable its cries were. "We need to get him inside by the fire," she said._

"_We're not keeping a cat."_

"_We are. I've already named him," Grimmjow laughed._

_Ulquiorra's face softened for a second. "Fine, at least get out of the rain. We're looking for his mother tomorrow."_

"_He doesn't have a mother. What mother would let her child run away alone and fall into a fountain? He's abandoned."_

_Ulquiorra led them both inside with a sigh. _

How odd, Stark thought. I wonder what I'm supposed to do with that? He nodded off to sleep again.

* * *

"Perfect!" Ichigo exclaimed when Starrk explained the dream to him.

Starrk nodded like he understood.

"Look, it might look like just a little thing, but you wouldn't have dreamt it unless it was important to the both of them, right?" Ichigo asked.

"I suppose," Starrk replied.

"Now I just need to go and find a kitten."

"How in the world do you suppose to do that?" Starrk said, bemused.

"Oh, animals always come to me," Ichigo shrugged.

It was two days later when Ichigo found the kitten in the garden. He was barely old enough to be away from his mother.

"I hope you didn't have to come far," Ichigo told the kitten, nuzzling it. The kitten lazily curled up in his hand and purred.

Starrk was more than a little surprised that somehow a black kitten manifested itself in Aizen's garden. Didn't Ichigo say that he'd always been good with animals? Stark wondered. Lilynette loved him at first sight. Is this what his power is? Is he a master of beasts? Is that why I'd do anything for him? Why I dreamed about him for almost as long as I've been dreaming?

Ichigo proudly took his prize to his training that day.

"Ulquiorra, will you do me a favor?" he asked before they started.

"Probably not," Ulquiorra told him dryly.

"You ought to be a comedian," Ichigo told him with a smile.

Ulquiorra could sense something odd in the boy's emotions. Elation? Why was the boy elated? At first all the boy felt was frustration, then finally some determination. He would get happy if he finally managed to get something right, but Ulquiorra hadn't felt this emotion from Ichigo before.

"You see," Ichigo drew out the kitten from his robe. "I found this cute little guy in the garden, he had fallen into the fountain and I rescued him," Ichigo stretched the truth. "I can't keep a pet since I don't have my own quarters and I doubt Aizen would want one. Can you find him a good home? You know the other vampires better than I do."

Ulquiorra stared at the cat for a while. "One moment," he said. "Do the exercises I showed you yesterday," he told Ichigo, taking the kitten and leaving.

* * *

"Ulquiorra?" Grimmjow was clearly surprised to find him at his door. "Out," he told his various fraccion and entourage. They cleared out of the room.

"Mew!"

Grimmjow's eyebrows shot up.

"I have something for you," Ulquiorra said, holding out the kitten.

"Pantera…" Grimmjow breathed, taking the small thing into his hands. He put his finger against the kitten and the kitten clawed at it playfully. "You got him for me?" Grimmjow asked.

"I…" Ulquiorra supposed it wasn't untruthful to say he had. He had taken him from Ichigo with every intention of giving him to Grimmjow. "Yes," he said.

"Thank you," Grimmjow said.

These feelings from Grimmjow, I can barely take them, Ulquiorra thought.

"Just because you have to feel everything doesn't mean you have to close every door," Grimmjow told him.

"What?"

"I know that it's hard on you having to feel what everyone is feeling, but just closing down completely isn't good," Grimmjow told him. "Feel something every once in a while. Sometimes I think even being sad would be good for you."

"I'm…sad now…" Ulquiorra admitted.

"You are?"

They stared at each other for a moment.

"I don't know that we should call him Pantera. We already had one Pantera. Why don't you name this one?" Grimmjow suggested.

"Murciélago," Ulquiorra said at once.

"A panther the first time and a bat the second, you're going down in the world, kitten," Grimmjow grinned.

Ulquiorra frowned. "I like bats."

"I know you do," Grimmjow replied. "Hey, why don't you help me find some stuff for him? If he's going to live with me he's going to need a couple of things."

"Ok, but I left Ichigo training alone. I can't leave him for too long."

"I'm sure it'll be ok."

* * *

"Well, it's not a complete thing, but at least they seem to be talking to each other again," Ichigo told Starrk.

"So, you count it as close enough?"

"Yeah. So what do I owe you?" Ichigo asked.

"I want to seduce you," Starrk told him.

"W-what?"

"It's not what you're thinking. I want to show you a vampire seduction. Consider it part of your training," Starrk told him.

"Aizen…"

"I…will won't touch you in the way you're thinking…" Starrk said, wondering if he'd hold himself to that. "It's not sex."

"I…if you're sure that…" Ichigo hesitated.

"It will be fine," Starrk assured him.


	5. The Seduction

**The Seduction**

* * *

Ichigo laid back on the white sheets of the antique mahogany bed. He knew that he was supposed to be meeting up with Starrk soon, but hadn't been told when. Aizen was temporarily away on business. The bed seemed vast when he was occupying it alone. The night was cold so Ichigo had started a fire, and lit several of the candles that were placed around the room. Still, the large room let in a lot of cold from the wide windows that overlooked the garden. Ichigo wrapped a blanket around himself with a small shiver.

Rain began to hit the windows, rapping on the panes slowly at first and then increasing. Ichigo buried his cold feet under the covers as the rain became hail, hitting more forcefully. Lightning lit the room and Ichigo counted to himself. 1...2...and thunder rumbled lowly. The storm must be moving in quickly, Ichigo thought to himself. It'll probably be hard to sleep but I should at least try.

He got up to blow out the candles, his bare feet recoiling slightly at the cold polished wood floorboards. He jumped, hearing a noise, then laughed at himself. Wow, those branches hit the window hard, he thought, looking out over the storm, watching the wind whip through the short trees near the window, causing another branch to scrap across the glass. Ichigo turned away. Lightning stuck again and he froze. Was that...a shadow? He slowly turned. The large window was now open. The wind began to bang it open and closed. Ichigo approached it with caution. I guess the latch broke, he thought, although he couldn't shake the ominous feeling that seemed to be all around him now. That feeling was only amplified when he pulled the window closed and nothing was wrong with it. He frowned as he locked it closed again. A slight wind blew at his back and he whirled around...to an empty room.

Why am I so jumpy tonight? Ichigo wondered. I actually enjoy storms for the most part. Sure the room is colossal and it's the first time that I've been alone overnight in it but that shouldn't mean anything.

Ichigo gasped and put his back to the wall. That time something had definitely touched him lightly along the back of his neck. The room appeared to be empty. Ichigo forced himself to close his eyes. I need to use my other senses, he thought. I letting myself get to caught up in emotion and human perception. Haven't I been training to detect for weeks with Ulquiorra? Yes, there's definitely a...

He felt a gloved hand along his jaw and he opened his eyes, meeting murky brown ones.

"Starrk?" Ichigo asked.

Starrk's hand caressed Ichigo's jaw, pulling his face forward, his eyes intent. Starrk took a step backward, and Ichigo stepped with him, not knowing why he did so. They wound up in the center of the room, the storm outside was raging still but somehow Ichigo couldn't hear it anymore. His eyes hadn't left Starrk's since meeting them. He couldn't guess at the swirling emotions he saw there.

At some point Starrk had taken his gloves off because his bare hands were making there way along the column of Ichigo's neck. Ichigo opened his mouth as his breathing quickened. Although Starrk's hand were cold they set Ichigo's flesh on fire. Ichigo finally closed his eyes, getting away from Starrk gaze, his head reeling back. Starrk's lips were on his own in a chaste kiss.

"Ichigo," Starrk whispered into Ichigo's ear. He gently rubbed his fangs in the hollow behind Ichigo's earlobe. Ichigo felt strong hands on his shoulders, holding him still as Starrk traced down further along Ichigo's neck. "Ichigo, you belong to me," Starrk said quietly.

Ichigo shuddered. His legs were weak and his eyes unfocused. He felt as though he should push Starrk away but couldn't muster even the barest thoughts together, much less the muscle control. One of Starrk's hands was at the small of his back, the other at the back of his head, pulling at his hair and exposing Ichigo's neck even more.

Starrk bit him, his fangs sinking in slowly, drinking him in deeply. Ichigo squirmed slightly but he felt Starrk's calm and steady pressure at his head and back holding him still. He felt like he was being poured out, a hot faucet at his neck, with fire and lust battling in his body. He began to get dizzy, feeling the room begin to spin.

He woke up with a start, alone in his bed. He blinked several times, then placed a hand to his neck. Nothing was there. He jumped up and closed the banging window. The latch must have come loose, he thought to himself as he stared at into the garden. I think I must be getting sick, I feel a little weak. He poked the coals of the dying fire and went back to bed.

* * *

Starrk was outside of his quarters leaning against the wall, his eyes closed. It's so hard to control myself when I know he'd give in to it, he thought. But that's not the way I want it. I want him to give himself to me. Even as he struggled with himself Starrk smiled, imagining Ichigo, flushed with want, _"Starrk, please..."_ Yes, I'd make him ask more than once. I'd make him spell it out for me. _"Starrk, I need you." "What do you need, Ichigo?"_

"It's been awhile," a voice behind Starrk said, breaking him out of his happy thoughts.

Starrk allowed his face to set before turning to face Aizen. "Aw well, you did say to teach him. Not that I think he'll be off seducing maidens and sucking blood from the village folk or anything," Starrk replied calmly.

"Hm, I thought I put Ulquiorra in charge of training him, but then again, Ulquiorra isn't good at...certain things, and I suppose Grimmjow's methods are too forward. Better to be a little old fashioned I suppose."

Starrk inclined his head in agreement.

"Besides, now I get a treat when I come home early," Aizen said with a small smile. "I'm sure all of your venom running through his veins will give me quite the happy homecoming."

Starrk tried to not freeze up, but he felt his smile falter. What was he supposed to say, "Oh yes, Aizen. I'm so glad I got him nice and horny for you"? "Nothing you couldn't have done yourself," he settled on.

"Well, thank you anyways," Aizen told him. "I think I do find it exciting to watch the poor naive kid be played with by someone else though. Perhaps I should recruit Gin for next time."

Starrk's plastered smile didn't fade, but the light in his eyes was becoming dangerous. His Ichigo wasn't a plaything to just be passed around, especially to someone who could be as manipulative as Gin. I won't allow it, he thought to himself.

Aizen smiled again. "I do believe you are becoming a little too attached to the boy. Be careful. I haven't actually decided if he'll be useful to me or yet. He may not be around...for long..." he said as he left. He was actually a little sad that his back was facing the wolf, because he would have liked to see the expression on his face.

After Starrk got into his quarters and relaxed a bit, Lilynette sprawled across his lap, he thought about the whole scene for awhile. I'm being played, he thought to himself. I allowed myself to show too much emotion. I'm too smart to fall into these types of traps when he is clearly baiting me. For him to even think about doing it this way means I've been too obvious in my affections. I'm going to have to convince Aizen that what I feel for Ichigo is something other than romantic. What about the beast master thing? If I can prove that Ichigo really is a master and tamer of beasts then my connection to him will make sense. I'll act as though I am completely loyal to Ichigo and enamored of him, but not in a romantic way. Aizen considers me an overgrown mutt anyways, I'll just act like it. I'll need to get involved with someone else too.

Starrk starting going over the list of possibilities in his mind. The person would have to be a male, since everyone knew that was his persuasion, but he didn't want to actually get anyone hurt or anything. He supposed Nnoitra was a cold hearted bastard that he couldn't hurt, but the idea of letting Nnoitra touch him gave him chills, and he absolutely knew Nnoitra would want lots of sex. Plus the bastard was kind of sadistic.

Despite what Aizen had thought, Starrk hadn't been impressed with his veiled allusion to Ichigo "leaving" (one way or another). He knew enough about the future to know that Ichigo was a big part of it. He also knew that Aizen had been bored lately, and a brand new vampire from no family but with remarkable powers would definitely be enough to get and keep his attention even if Ichigo's charms faded over time.

* * *

"What pretty hair you hair, Tesla," Starrk said, as he ran his fingers though it. He had been chatting up the vampire for about ten minutes in the hall. He was shocked to see Tesla recoil from him.

"Oh...s-sorry," Tesla laughed nervously, putting his hand to his neck.

Starrk frowned. It was exactly the reaction of a dog after being beaten. Although at least Tesla didn't bare his teeth at him. He wasn't the type though. He'd roll over and bare his belly instead. Starrk's eyes narrowed. "Are you ok?"

"I'm fine! I'm just...er...sore...from sparring with Nnoitra."

Nnoitra, of course. Starrk had to wonder why he hadn't considered the idea before. "If he's hurting you..."

"No! No! We were just training!" Tesla said.

Well, mark Tesla off the list. I'm not going to break him any more than he's already broken, Starrk thought to himself. I don't suppose there's any way I could convince him to leave Nnoitra easily. Maybe he could get Tesla to volunteer for a long away mission, observing people in Europe or some place equally far away. Isn't "making" him convinced forcing him to do something though?

While he had been pondering, leaning against the wall with his eyes closed, Tesla had wondered off. He probably assumes I went to sleep, Starrk thought. Ah well, maybe I should, nothing better to do until I find a new target.

"Can ya really sleep standing up?" a voice asked him.

Starrk took a quick look at the light outside before answering. Hm, I've been out for maybe an hour, he judged.

"Yes," Starrk answered simply.

"Amazing," Shiro told him. "And if I had tried to do somethin to ya while ya were sleeping?"

"Wouldn't happen," Starrk assured him.

"I'm awfully curious as to how ya got to be number one dog around here," Shiro said with an exaggerated smile, obviously enjoying his pun.

"Maybe I'll show you sometimes," Starrk said with a hint of threat in his voice.

"Mm, you're kind of turning me on," Shiro said with a lecherous grin.

Fantastic, Starrk groaned to himself. Wait, isn't this what I need though? But, I don't know him enough to play him very well. However, he's new, it would make sense if we started a new romance...possibly...assuming he's not joking. Starrk looked into Shiro's sparkling eyes. Hm, he's half joking, Starrk considered. Why not make a game out of it, then? All I need is for it to be distracting enough for Aizen.

"I'm actually the best at a lot of things," Starrk said with a smirk.

"Like what?" Shiro asked.

"I'm faster than you, stronger than you, can fight longer than you," Starrk replied.

Shiro's eyes became fiery. "I doubt that."

* * *

"My, you seem to be a little distracted, Shiro," Gin said.

Shiro tore his eyes off of Starrk for moment. How the hell had he beaten him? He hadn't been prepared was all, next time they spared for sure he'd beat the wolf's ass. Shiro gnawed at his lip.

"The options as I see them are; Kaien ran away, Kaien got caught and killed, and Kaien got caught and is being used," Shiro said. "It's kinda hard to tell so far. I mean, shapeshifters are notoriously hard to find if they don't wanna be found."

"Or he ran away and is helping them," Tosen suggested.

"Well, I'd like to think he didn't do that," Shiro said with a shrug.

"We could always bait them a little. They sure went after Ichigo fast enough last time he was in public," Gin mentioned.

"The boy is hardly capable of defending himself yet," Ulquiorra chimed in. "It's too dangerous to use him in any plan that puts him in danger."

"What do you think, Starrk? I know you're not just playing chess in your mind right now," Aizen said.

Of course he's asking me, it involves Ichigo. And of course it's a stupid idea that will most likely endanger Ichigo and possibly hurt him. I had a confusing dream last night. Ichigo, covered in blood. Was that because of this? And yet for some reason I sense that if Aizen truly separated Ichigo and I, it wouldn't just be bad for me, but for all of us. Starrk forced a yawn and then shrugged. "Sounds like a plan to me, assuming the pup is up for it," he looked over at Ichigo.

Ichigo wasn't quite sure how he liked being called pup. He had been a little miffed at Starrk since finding out that he hadn't imagined the whole "Starrk snuck into my room and bit me" thing but had quickly forgiven the man when he looked at him with those soulful eyes. Pup though, that was a little far. Or was it supposed to be endearing, to a wolf maybe? Regardless, he bristled at the idea of being too scared to go outside "to the real world" as if he hadn't lived in it his whole life.

"Of course I'll go. I'd like to send a message to my family and let them know I'm doing ok anyways," Ichigo said.

Aizen paused. "Shiro, why don't you do the planning. Is there anyone you need?"

"The wolf," Shiro said.

"Better say my name," Starrk came back with.

"Starrk," Shiro rectified with a wide smile.

As they left Starrk came behind Shiro. "You need me, huh?" he asked.

"Feh," Shiro said. "I'm just waiting to get you in another place where I can really show you whose better."

"Wanna make me beg?" Starrk said in a lower voice.

Shiro liked competition. Fighting was his life and conflict got him going, in _all _ways. Starrk had him pegged exactly and had been playing him all week. Right now Shiro wasn't sure which he wanted more, to see Starrk bloodied on the ground or naked in his quarters.

Yeah, I'll make him kneel in front of me one way or the other, Shiro thought.

* * *

"I certainly wouldn't have pegged them for anything...anything romantic at least," Gin said to Aizen, as Shiro and Starrk left hall.

"Hm," Aizen replied.

"At least Shiro's predatory senses are keeping Starrk on his toes. This whole week I've been dodging the both of them."

Aizen didn't like when things didn't go according to plan. He had never planned for Ichigo to actually go out and be put in danger. He was still far too fond of his pet; his blushes, his sounds, the taste of his blood. He sighed. Starrk had always been a keen tactician though. Or was he simply on to the next new toy, the similar look alike of Shiro. No matter what, Starrk wouldn't have been controlling Shiro's actions, and Shiro was obviously into the wolf.

At least Shiro had picked Starrk to go on the mission. Aside from himself he was the person be able to defend Ichigo.

"You don't actually have to do this," Aizen told Ichigo, who was still sitting at the table.

"Like I said, I want to call my sisters and say hi. I doubt anything will happen and people will be there anyways," Ichigo replied.

* * *

"Just as we expected. I can sense them in the town already," Renji said. "Isn't it going to seem odd to them that we find them so soon though? They're in a totally different part of the country."

"I didn't make the decision to use this information this way," his captain responded. "My guess is that this new vampire is highly wanted because of his connection to Aizen."

"But if we have Kaien, why pick up his next toy?" Renji wondered.

"There was something off in the reading that we got in our last experience with him. Captain Kurotsuchi seems to think that he is very special," Captain Kuchiki answered. He wondered absently if they had killed enough time to let the vampires get settled or if they should attack yet.

* * *

"I'm sorry I've been so busy," Ichigo said into his cell phone. "Yeah I know you have to get to soccer practice, I'll talk to you later, Karin." He could hear his other sister yell in the background. "And tell Yuzu good-bye too." He looked back at the two vampires in the shadows behind him. "Both of those warlock jerks are back. Are we hanging around or ditching them?"

Both Shiro and Starrk blinked in surprise. Shiro looked over at Starrk who shrugged. Neither had felt anything. Starrk made a quick decision.

* * *

"Yes sir, a man in an expensive business suit and a college age student with bright red hair and tattoos, just like you said," the shopkeeper said into the phone. "They came right after you left."

"Why thank you ma'am," Starrk said. "I must have just missed my friends. Thanks for the help."

"No, thank you," the woman said, her hand still fondling the cash she'd been given.

* * *

"They're moving fast," Renji cursed.

"Too late, they already know," Captain Kuchiki said.

"How? Do they suspect Kaien..."

"Quiet. Some things we don't talk about in public," his captain rebuked him.

* * *

Back in Las Noches Gin was also curious. "But if neither of you two felt anything, how did the kid sense them?"

Ichigo was chowing down on a large bowl of ramen. It's not like the food was bad in Las Noches, he just missed cheap street food sometimes. "Er?" He looked up when he noticed that several heads were turned to him waiting for his reply.

"The birds told me. I guess the stupid bastards were up hovering in the air for a bit before heading over or something," he said. He grabbed a particularly succulent piece of pork and ate it with relish.

"Well now, and here I didn't think birds could talk," Gin said.

"Starrk talks to Lilynette all the time," Ichigo replied.

"That's a little different," Starrk told him.

"Can ya make 'em do things?" Shiro asked.

Ichigo nodded. "Only as long as it's something that they can actually do though. I mean, I can't make a dog fly a plane or anything."

"And you really didn't think that was something interesting?" Gin sounded amused.

"Well, I don't know. Most of you have really cool powers. I didn't really think mine was much," Ichigo said. "Besides, I've only been getting good at it recently."

"I guess we need to feed you more often then," Aizen said.

"Wanna flip a coin?" Shiro asked Starrk.

"Why? You always lose against me anyways. You can feed him," Starrk insisted.

"Hell no! Fair's fair!" Shiro got a coin out.

"Did you really mean 'right now'?" Gin asked Aizen. Aizen shrugged.

"Damn it," Shiro said, losing the toss. "I don't wanna feed him."

"We still need to figure out how they found you so fast," Aizen said.

"That's his version of 'get the hell out' I think," Shiro said to Ichigo.

Shiro, Ichigo, and Starrk left Tosen, Gin and Aizen to their planning.

"Tell you what," Starrk said into Shiro's ear. "How about if I feed the kid now and you pay me back by letting me get a bite in later tonight."

Shiro smirked. "Aw, disappointed we didn't get to have any fun today?"

Starrk was actually very happy with the way things had turned out but he instead allowed a smile to creep across his face. "Aren't you?"

"See you tonight then," Shiro said, leaving.

"Wasn't he going to...?" Ichigo asked.

Like I'd let him touch you, Starrk thought. "No. You can have me," he offered, his eyes laughing at his wording. I mean it, Ichigo, he thought.

His meaning didn't fly past Ichigo, who blushed. "Well don't go too far, your boyfriend might get mad," Ichigo said.

Starrk sighed.

Ichigo bit him, and Starrk wished he had taken longer doing it, wanting to savor the moments their bodies were joined, even if it was just at the neck. Ichigo seemed a little put out though and left immediately afterward. Regardless, Ichigo's venom was rushing through Starrk's veins, turning him on painfully. He always does this to me, Starrk thought, but I keep doing it anyways. He turned to find his way to Grimmjow's room but realized that Grimmjow might be trying to repair things with Ulquiorra.

"Need anything?" Shiro said from around the corner, where he had been waiting.

"A little predatory, don't you think?"

"I _am_ a predator," Shiro replied. "And I'll take that visit now rather than later."

* * *

"Lilynette? What are you doing here?" Ichigo asked the wandering wolf.

_"Starrk said that he loves you,"_ Lilynette told Ichigo, barking.

"What?"

_"He doesn't want to get you in trouble with Aizen so he's trying to not act interested in you, but he just wanted you to know that he's still planning on winning you,"_ the wolf said with a whine, nuzzling Ichigo's hand.

"Why this way?" Ichigo asked.

_"Aizen's hypnosis. You never know where he is. Starrk suspects that Aizen was in the room with you when Starrk came last time. He doesn't want to make that mistake again. This way, no one can hear."_

"You're really smart, even for a wolf," Ichigo told Lilynette.

_"I'm not fully a wolf anyways,"_ she said.

Ichigo wondered what she meant but she was already going down the hall.

Aizen was there? Ichigo blushed in embarrassment before starting to get angry. What, he was spying on me? His eyes narrowed.


	6. True Personality

**True Personality**

_A/N: Italics (in general) indicate psychically sent thoughts to and from Ichigo and animals or Starrk. (also remember that Starrk can't talk out loud when he's a wolf)._

_

* * *

_

Ichigo was pet sitting Murciélago for Grimmjow, mostly because Grimmjow said he'd been pretty busy lately and he felt bad for not playing with the kitten enough. There were a lot of things that Ichigo didn't have patience for, but he could roll a ball back and forth or wave a feather around for hours and still be entertained by the clumsy and cute moves of the kitten as he played and pounced.

"Ichigo," Aizen said as he walked into the hallway.

Ichigo looked up and saw that a pink hair man wearing glasses and a lab coat was next to him, staring at him with intense interest that made him more than a little uneasy. Ichigo looked at the kitten and the kitten scampered off back to Grimmjow's room.

"Did you tell him to leave?" Aizen asked.

"Yes," Ichigo answered.

"And exactly how do animal thoughts feel?" Szayel questioned.

"I have no frame of reference to answer that. How about you tell me how regular people's thoughts feel and then we'll compare them," Ichigo replied.

"Quite impossible I'm afraid. You're the closest thing to a psychic we've ever had," Szayel told him.

"Well, Ulquiorra is kind of psychic, and so is Starrk," Ichigo said.

"Let me clarify. You are the only one that can send and received thoughts, and read minds. Sure it's only animals, but that's still very interesting."

"I've seen you at the meetings but I don't remember your name," Ichigo told Szayel.

"I am Szayel Aporro Granz, I'm head of the 8th clan. I have quite a large one, I'm sure you've run into some people from my family running around," Szayel answered. "I've changed quite a lot of people over the years. I'm also in charge of our research lab here."

Aizen was on the phone. "Starrk? Change into a wolf," he told the man on the phone. He looked over at Ichigo. "We are curious on a few things. First of all, can you contact Starrk from where he is and tell him to come here to where we are?"

"_Starrk?" _Ichigo called out in his mind, reaching out for the wolf. He didn't think he could usually go that far, but he knew that with Starrk most likely it would be possible. There seemed to be a link between the two of them.

"_Ichigo. What's going on? Are you in danger?"_ Starrk asked as he padded towards the room.

"_No, I'm just supposed to tell you to come here."_

"_I was already on my way,"_ Starrk broke out into a faster run. He hated how his claws clicked on the white marbled floor, and how he couldn't get very much traction on turns. Not to mention that in general being inside stunk. People and food and perfume and poison and blood, all making a terrible smothering smell that made him want to gag. Outside in the grass was much better.

"Excellent," Szayel said as Starrk came into the room.

"Now tell me, can you make him do something?" Aizen asked Ichigo.

Ichigo frowned. "What do you mean "make"?"

"You said that you make animals do things, correct?" Aizen said.

"Starrk isn't an animal," Ichigo replied.

"Which is why it would be interesting to know whether or not you can control him or not," Szayel explained.

"_Ichigo,"_ Starrk thought to Ichigo. _"I'm not exactly happy about this, but I think you should probably pretend to go along with whatever these two are after."_

"_I get the feeling I should, but overriding someone's free will? That's disgusting," _Ichigo thought back to him.

"_Please, Ichigo. I don't think you understand how things work around here yet,"_ Starrk pleaded.

"You seem to be hesitating," Aizen said.

"_If it's going to hurt you, it's going to hurt me too,"_ Ichigo declared to Starrk.

"_What?"_ Starrk replied worriedly.

"Starrk, I want you to bite me in the arm," Ichigo said.

"_Don't be ridiculous. It's not the same as a vampire bite, it will hurt. I don't want to injure you,"_ the wolf replied.

"Starrk," Ichigo lowered his voice, staring at him.

"_I refuse,"_ Starrk said. _"Forget what I said, don't play their games." _He turned and began to leave.

"He doesn't seem very interested," Aizen pointed out.

"_Starrk," _Ichigo said, but the wolf was still moving away from him. _"Coyote, attack my arm!" _He thought forcefully.

Starrk whirled around and sprinted towards Ichigo, leaping at him. Ichigo held his arm in front of him to block the attack. Starrk's sharp teeth bit down deeply into Ichigo's arm. Ichigo could see the wolf's face clearly, see when his eyes began to focus again.

"_ICHIGO!"_ Starrk yelled, instantly releasing Ichigo's arm, both mad at Ichigo and himself. He howled in frustration as he saw the damage he had done.

"How very fascinating," Szayel said.

Starrk growled and looked over at Szayel, his intent clear.

"Starrk, perhaps getting Ichigo healed should be your priority if you're feeling bad about what you did," Aizen suggested.

Starrk didn't want to admit it but Aizen was right. _"Ichigo, I'm going to go and get Nel."_

"_Nel? She's...the goat?"_ Ichigo thought vaguely.

Starrk blinked in surprised. _"Please don't say that to anyone else. We'll talk later. And you owe me." _The wolf left the room quickly, trying to locate the Nel's scent. _"And please never use my name that way again." _Privately, Starrk wondered how Ichigo even knew it. He hadn't told him, and he knew that Lilynette would never have said anything to Ichigo without asking Starrk first.

"Let me take a look at it," Szayel said, approaching Ichigo.

"Stand back!" Ichigo ordered the man. Szayel froze. Ichigo carefully grabbed Szayel's arm and lifted it. He pointed at Szayel fingers. "I'm not letting anyone with a paralyzing poison under his finger nails touch me."

"I wasn't planning on doing you any harm," Szayel assured him. "But I do wonder how you know about the poison. It doesn't have a scent. Or how you'd know that it was a paralytic."

"Because you have a poor paralyzed rat in your pocket that is one of dozen you've been testing on this afternoon," Ichigo said evenly.

Szayel reached into his lab coat and pulled out the rat in question. "Giving away my secrets are you?" Szayel asked it.

Ichigo could barely stand to see to poor thing be teased. He wanted to grab it away from the scientist but didn't know how to unparalyze the creature if he did managed to rescue it. He was more than a little angry, mad at having to make Starrk do something he didn't want to do, and mad at how terrified the gray rat in front of him was.

"Yes," Ichigo said. "Just think of how many secrets they do know."

"What?" Szayel asked, his eyes narrowing. "Rats aren't intelligent enough to figure out what I'm working on. If you are trying to intimidated me, you can't."

"They don't know what you're working on it a computer, and they don't know how it works, but they can see your passwords, as symbols even if they don't understand words. I guess I now know what your favorite number is, although I'm unsure about the name. A he former lover maybe? A good friend?" Ichigo said.

Szayel glared at him, his golden eyes showing his annoyance. He made a note to change his password as soon as he got back to his lab. And to make sure that the cages were farther away from his monitors. Aizen gave a small laugh seeing his discomfort.

Starrk came back, this time looking as he usually did, having stopped back in his quarters to throw on some clothing after changing back from a wolf. Nel was with him.

"Hi!" the sea foam green haired vampire greeted Ichigo warmly. "I'm Nelliel Tu Odelschwanck!"

"Wow...I don't know that I'm going to remember that," Ichigo said honestly.

She roughly grabbed his shoulder.

"Hey, wait a minute! What are you doing?" Ichigo asked her, holding her back.

"The combination of my saliva and blood will heal you," she explained. "I need to bite you. It's faster if you bite me too."

"Um...isn't that a little..." Ichigo trailed off.

"I should warn you that Ichigo's blood is extremely potent," Aizen said.

It is? Ichigo thought.

"_Yes," _Starrk's voice answered in his mind.

"_Starrk...you can talk me this way when you're not a wolf?"_

"_I'm always part wolf," _Starrk laughed.

"Are you ready?" Nel asked Ichigo. "No jumping this time!" she ordered him.

Ichigo nodded and let himself be bitten. Instead of the slightly overpowering and heady rush he got when Aizen bit him, or the warmth and connection he felt when Starrk bite him, it was more of a regular high. He felt the thrill of it, but wasn't turned on by it as he was with the other two. I guess I'm just uber gay, Ichigo thought to himself. That's probably why Harribel didn't want to bite me since she prefers her own sex as well. Not that it was unpleasant. Ichigo realized he should be biting back so he leaned forward into her proffered neck. She tastes kind of green, like grass and trees, he thought to himself as he drank. Nel pulled away and examined his arm.

"I sometimes need to bite the area itself, but it looks like it's healed up nicely," she said.

Ichigo stretched it out. "Wow, thanks it's really..." he stopped suddenly when she threw her arms around him and buried her head in his chest.

"Nel?"

"You feel nice. You're warm," she said happily.

"I'm a vampire. I'm not warm," Ichigo rolled his eyes.

She ignored him and made a cooing noise, snuggling closer.

"Nel, you should get back to your duties now," Aizen told her.

"You really won't even shared him for cuddles?" she said as she looked back at him, with a pout on her face.

"Uh..." Ichigo was becoming uncomfortable with the situation.

Nel let him go though, and bounced out of the room. Ichigo called his thanks after her.

"Szayel and I need to talk over some things," Aizen said.

Ichigo nodded and walked down the hall towards the garden. Starrk quickly caught up to him.

"So are you..." Ichigo started. Starrk gave him a stern glance and put a finger to his lips. Ichigo sighed. _"So are you you going to tell me why it freaked you out that I called Nel a goat?" _he repeated, this time no longer out loud.

"_Right now Aizen is happy with your power. He loves that you didn't show, out loud at least, any remorse or thought about forcing me to your whims. He finds your power interesting."_

"_What does that have to do with anything?" _Ichigo asked Starrk.

"_All vampires, natural vampires that is, not transmuted ones like Aizen, Gin, and Kaname, have a totem animal. It is a basis for their powers. There is a small chance that you could have power in some way over any vampire if you found a way to tap into their totem animal. Do you understand?"_ Starrk said.

"_Not really."_

"_Aizen will view you as a threat if you show too much potential. Right now, having control over me, the head of the 1st clan, is already a very powerful position. If you have even a chance of being able to control more vampires that way, then he'll view you as too dangerous. He'd either want to break you completely to do his bidding, or kill you to get rid of the problem,"_ Starrk relayed.

I wonder why they are being so quiet, Gin wondered to himself, laying back on the roof over them. I should hear them clearly through the window. I heard everything else and it was farther away.

"_Aizen wouldn't do that,"_ Ichigo said.

Starrk just gave him a look.

"_Starrk, I think Gin is on the roof,"_ Ichigo told him.

"_What?"_

"_A bird is in the tree wondering if he can take back some of that silver hair back to his nest. I imagine that would be Gin, right?"_ Ichigo asked.

"_Most likely. He's a big fan of listening in on other people's conversations. He's going to wonder why we're being so quiet."_

"_Well, that's an easy fix,"_ Ichigo smiled. "HEY STARRK!" he yelled out loud.

Starrk just barely prevented himself from jumping. He knew instantly what Ichigo was getting at. "What?" he said sleepily.

"What do you mean what? Don't you know it's rude to fall asleep when you're talking to someone?" Ichigo laughed at him.

"Leave me alone to my nap, pup," Starrk told him, walking away.

* * *

"What are you doing here?" Ichigo asked, his eyes narrowing as he saw the pink haired scientist in Aizen's quarters. He looked around but Aizen wasn't there.

"I've been given permission to test you," Szayel said, smiling widely.

"Test me? How? Who..." Ichigo stopped that last question because it was obvious who had give permission. "What, just like a few blood tests or something?"

"Oh, whatever I want, really," Szayel said, looking smug.

"Oh yeah?" Ichigo replied with irritation. "Well right now I'm supposed to be meeting for training with Ulquiorra, but don't think this is a done deal. You're not touching me."

* * *

Ichigo and Ulquiorra were sparring with dulled swords. Ichigo had rather liked this part of training, although he wasn't sure what he'd ever need a sword for. Today he was even more aggressive than usual, attacking without thinking, trying to press Ulquiorra.

"Calm yourself. You aren't thinking," Ulquiorra told him, easily dodging his attacks. Grimmjow laughed from the corner.

Ichigo instead threw himself into the training harder. "That bastard Szayel got "permission" from Aizen to do whatever the hell he wants to me!" he said angrily as he attacked.

"What?" Ulquiorra asked. Grimmjow was frowning.

"I don't know a lot about him but he's way too creepy and demented for me to let him poke and prod me, or inject me with crap, or whatever the hell he's planning on doing," Ichigo said, leaning on his sword to gain his breath when he saw Ulquiorra pull up.

"I don't know what the hell Aizen is thinking but I'm not some fucking pet. I can't just be ordered around and told what to do and just given to people!" Ichigo continued on his rant.

Grimmjow was very close to him all of sudden. "Ichigo, you seem a little winded. Why don't you drink a little?" he said, offering his neck.

"I'm not..."

Grimmjow practically smashed Ichigo's face into his neck.

"Fine, I get the picture," Ichigo complained. He pulled back a little and elongated his teeth.

"Ichigo," Grimmjow whispered closely into Ichigo's ear as Ichigo was biting into his neck. "Be very careful about what you say. You never know where _he_ is."

A warning?

"Damn kid, what the hell do you eat?" Grimmjow said a few moments later, writhing around a little under Ichigo's teeth.

Ichigo lifted off of him and wiped at his mouth. "What do you mean?"

"You just rile me up is all, make me hot. And the fact that I can't have you makes it worse," Grimmjow grinned.

Ichigo frowned at him. "I'm sure this is very endearing to Ulquiorra."

"It kind of is. He's a jealous type," Grimmjow replied. "Not that anyone can tell."

"We may be spending more time together recently, but don't think you can speak about me so casually," Ulquiorra said.

Grimmjow moved quickly towards him and wrapped his arms around Ulquiorra's waist, not waiting to sink his teeth into his neck.

Ichigo knew from training with Ulquiorra that if he had really wanted to escape Grimmjow, he could have. Instead Ulquiorra stood stock still for a moment, before closing his eyes, seemingly accepting the embrace. Ichigo smiled to himself and moved towards the window, looking out over the garden, giving the men behind him a little privacy. He thought about what Starrk had said about totem animals. A cat. He thought to himself. Grimmjow is a cat, obviously. A big jungle cat. Ulquiorra...a bat. He laughed when he figured it out. The kitten was named after him of course.

"You seem a little out of sorts today, Ichigo," Ulquiorra said from behind him. "We will conclude training early today."

Ichigo smirked to himself.

* * *

Ichigo still hadn't gotten a chance to talk to Aizen about Szayel and his experiments, and exactly how he felt about being ordered around so much lately. He had wandered their shared quarters for awhile until he got notice that there was going to be a meeting. Ichigo hadn't been aware that there was going to be one that day and wondered if it had just been called or had been planned.

* * *

Seems like the same boring stuff to me, Ichigo thought, trying to pay attention in the meeting. He wasn't sure why he even had to go, since he wasn't the head of a clan and didn't know most of what they talked about even meant. There was a pause and Ichigo looked up, everyone was looking alert. What had happened? He wondered. There was just a shift in the atmosphere.

"Grimmjow," Aizen said evenly.

"Yeah?" Grimmjow answered, more than a little annoyed that he hadn't gotten to spend as long as he wanted with Ulquiorra.

"On your most recent mission I believe I told you to capture a specific warlock for me and bring him back. And yet, I understand he is dead," Aizen told him, sipping at his tea carefully.

"He knew I was coming. He started fighting me as soon as I got there. Things got a little intense. It's not my fault that he was so weak he couldn't defend himself against a simple blow," Grimmjow shrugged.

"I really did want him back here alive," Aizen pointed out.

"Well then you probably should have sent someone like Ulquiorra then."

"I sent you," Aizen said. "Unless you are questioning my judgment?"

There was dead silence around the table, not so much at the words, which were fairly serious, but at the way in which Aizen said them. There was more than just a little underlying tension.

"I..." Grimmjow started to speak but Aizen cut him off.

"This isn't the first time you've failed me," Aizen said. "And you've always made your...discontent well known. Do you have something to say to me, Grimmjow?"

Grimmjow paused before saying, "...no."

"Ichigo, convince me to not kill Grimmjow," Aizen said, turning to face Ichigo.

"I...what?" Ichigo stuttered.

Aizen eyes bore into his own.

"Unless you want him to die?" Aizen asked.

"Of course not!" Ichigo said, a little loudly. Every eye was on him. He didn't dare to turn and look at Grimmjow, not that he could take his gaze off of Aizen's eyes anyways.

"I...understand that perhaps Grimmjow has done things not exactly in the way that you wanted in the past," Ichigo tried to say something, anything.

"_Starrk, he's kidding right?" _Ichigo practically screamed into Starrk's mind.

"_I doubt it," _Starrk replied.

"But?" Aizen led Ichigo on.

"But...well think of how quickly they've found me both times that I've left and visited the mainland. There's obviously something happening, right? A leak, a spy, some sort of new technology or...err...spell or whatnot...that allows them to know when we are coming. If the person Grimmjow was after was already expecting him, and if he would have truly been valuable to you, then no doubt the warlock was already preparing himself to die. I think I was reading...don't they kill themselves sometimes? But they need time to prepare their souls because they think that they can't travel to their next life without peace. This person had time to make their piece and would have killed himself if Grimmjow hadn't...in fact, who is to say that he didn't allow Grimmjow to kill him? Grimmjow just said it was a weak attack that killed him."

"Interesting," Aizen said. "Grimmjow?" he looked over at the seething vampire.

Please keep it together, Ichigo thought at Grimmjow, wishing he could communicate with him the same way he could talk to Starrk. He could tell by the strained look on Ulquiorra's face he was thinking the same thing.

"We had fought for maybe ten minutes, a hard battle. The final blow was something even Ichigo could have dodged in his first week of training," Grimmjow stated.

"Hm," Aizen considered. "Yes, we've thought for some time that they've been rather well informed. I suppose it's in everyone's best interest to let this slide, at least this time."

The rest of the meeting continued on, almost as if nothing had happened.

"_Starrk...he really would have killed him just like that?" I_chigo asked. Starrk looked like he was nodding off but Ichigo could still sense he was lucid.

"_I've seen him do it before,"_ Starrk assured him.

"_He gave Szayel permission to do whatever testing and experiments he wants on me," _Ichigo stated.

"_Ichigo, I'm not saying it will be easy, but he's still interested in you. He wouldn't want you killed or damaged too badly."_

"_That's not assuring."_

"_Just try to go along with it...for now,"_ Starrk said.

"_For now?" _Ichigo asked. Starrk didn't reply.


	7. Elixir

**Elixir**

_A/N: Nope, I haven't abandoned this! Sorry for having such a long delay._

* * *

"Ulquiorra, is there any way that someone's blood can affect another person?" Ichigo asked as he blocked an attack.

"If you bite someone then your venom affects them," Ulquiorra answered, not stopping his advance on Ichigo. He dipped blade slightly but then quickly moved to Ichigo's unprotected back. "Still too slow."

"But getting better," Ichigo stated, turning with a grin and pointing at the rip in fabric on Ulquiorra's right arm.

"Better yes, but that wouldn't have been a killing blow," Ulquiorra chided his student.

"I know that I have venom," Ichigo turned back to the subject he was asking about. "What I'm asking if that if someone bites me and drinks me, does that change them?"

"No," Ulquiorra answered.

"Never?"

"It's never happened before," Ulquiorra replied.

I could swear though that it's happened with me though, Ichigo thought to himself. I mean with Nel, she changed in her attitude towards me before I bit her, right? Or am I remembering it wrong? Starrk of course, but he's different.

* * *

Ichigo was a little relieved to see the note that Aizen left just inside their living quarters, saying that he'd be gone for a couple of days. Ichigo wasn't relishing the upcoming confrontation between the two of them. He frowned at the note below the one that Aizen had left, from Szayel. He read the contents angrily and threw the note in the trash, not that it would change anything.

Sleeping wasn't a problem though. He had worked out a lot of energy practicing with Ulquiorra so he drifted off as soon as his head hit the feather down pillow.

* * *

"_Ichigo." _

Ichigo heard his name being called, even in his sleep. He could feel it in his mind.

"_ICHIGO!"_ came a panicked call.

Ichigo bolted up. Starrk. What was wrong with Starrk?

Ichigo didn't even bother to get dressed, running through the long hallways of Las Noches in his boxers, his bare feet hitting the cold white tiles that lined the ground, feeling the adrenaline pump through him as he tried to remain calm.

"_Ichigo...please..."_ he heard as he got to the door. It wasn't locked and Ichigo entered quickly.

Starrk was on the bed, writhing around as if in pain.

"_Ichigo..." _

Starrk wasn't speaking out loud. Is he...dreaming? Ichigo thought. Well, having a nightmare at least.

"Starrk," Ichigo said, putting a hand to Starrk's shoulder. "Wake up..." he shook him slightly.

Starrk's eyes opened widely and he quickly grabbed onto Ichigo, pulling him onto the bed, wrapping around him. It took a moment for him to realize that he was awake.

"You're here?" Starrk asked, confused, but not releasing Ichigo from his grip.

"I...heard you. You were calling to me. I thought that you were in trouble," Ichigo said.

Starrk still clung to Ichigo and buried his head into that bright orange hair, more mussed than usual from sleeping.

He smells entirely too good, Starrk thought to himself as he began to fully wake up.

"You were having a nightmare," Ichigo stated after awhile, when it was obvious that Starrk wasn't going to say anything.

"Yes," Starrk said simply.

"You should probably let me..." Ichigo was silenced by Starrk's lips on his.

I can't resist him now, Starrk said. It's hard enough during the day, but now when there's a full moon shining down on me, I don't even have a chance.

It was so different than when Aizen kisses me, Ichigo thought. It might just be whatever lingering thoughts and pieces of dream that remained in Starrk's head, but the kiss was desperate, passionate, consuming. Ichigo felt himself immediately give in to the kiss without thinking about it, his hands clutching at Starrk's back. He moaned as Starrk continued to move on his lips, began to caress his tongue with his own, as he felt Starrk's hips move forward and press into him.

Ichigo was now very aware that both of them were barely dressed and laying together in a bed. The danger of being found in their passionate embrace finally woke him up enough to stop. He put his hand between him and Starrk, pressing at the man's bare chest to get Starrk's lips off of his own.

Breathing deeply, Starrk looked into his eyes with such longing that Ichigo felt guilty for pushing him away.

"S-sorry," Ichigo stuttered.

"I should be apologizing, but I won't," Starrk said in a voice deep with lust. "I've never wanted anything more than I do in this moment."

"I...need to go," Ichigo said, still unable to look away from Starrk's face, from his expressive eyes.

"I know...it's just hard to...let go," Starrk said.

There was a moment when Ichigo really thought that Starrk wouldn't let him go, but then the man sighed and relaxed his grip on Ichigo. Ichigo crawled out of the bed and stood in the dark for several seconds. "Are you ok now?" he asked.

"No," Starrk answered.

"I mean, about the dream."

"No," Starrk replied.

"Did you want to talk about it?" Ichigo asked.

"Not now. You should go before I change my mind and do something dangerous," Starrk said, his voice holding an edge to it, his eyes sparking with intensity.

So Ichigo left him.

Starrk stared at his ceiling for hours. Eventually Lilynette climbed into bed with him and he wrapped his arms around her and fell asleep with his head on her side, listening to the gentle rhythm of her breathing.

Ichigo didn't have as much trouble getting to sleep, but he had a hard time staying asleep, constantly waking up to half remembered dreams, all featuring steely blue eyes watching him with hidden pain and not so hidden desire. He woke up repetitively, covered in sweat, calling out Starrk's name and reaching for someone that wasn't there.

When he woke up in the morning with a headache, he was deeply glad that Aizen didn't come home that night.

* * *

So, I guess this is when I figure out if my theory is right or not, Ichigo thought to himself, eyeballing the pink haired man in front of him. "You don't have to be so cliché," Ichigo said out loud.

"What?" Szayel asked him.

"You're practically cackling like a mad scientist. Can't you at least pretend that you're not going to try and dissect me?"

"I wouldn't do that! Lord Aizen wouldn't let me for one thing," Szayel said.

"I have a theory I'd like to ask you about before you do anything to me," Ichigo stated.

"Like I care what some idiot like you thinks about science," Szayel laughed.

"Let me just say that I'm curious about my blood. Aizen said that it was extremely potent. Can you test it?" Ichigo asked.

"Oh, well I would do that anyways," Szayel explained.

"It's just that...I think that it works differently on different people," Ichigo said. "At least in my experience."

"Your blood shouldn't affect anyone, really," Szayel responded. "Aside from incurring blood lust, that is."

"Oh, maybe it's just that then," Ichigo pretended to consider it. "But it seems odd that it would also do different things for Starrk and Aizen, they aren't really emotional or lust driven like someone like Grimmjow is."

"Hm," Szayel said, pursing his lips as he tapped a pen to a piece of paper.

"I was thinking maybe you could have a couple of different people here and they could bite me and we could see if there was a difference or not."

"I suppose so," Szayel thought out loud.

"And you'd want to do it before you put any poison or anything in to me to get accurate results," Ichigo said.

Szayel nodded. "Alright, I'll bring a couple of my assistants in and we'll try it."

* * *

"So, how do you feel, Lumina? Feeling anything odd, Verona?" Szayel asked. "Your blood work shows no difference before and after partaking of Ichigo Kurosaki's blood."

"I feel...odd," Lumina admitted.

"Can't describe it," Verona said.

"USELESS!" Szayel yelled at them, hitting them over the head with his clipboard.

"Well, if there's no change, there's no change," Ichigo stated.

"No, there is a change, obviously, you dolt. I'm just not reading it. How aggravating!" Szayel complained.

"You could always try yourself," Ichigo shrugged.

"I suppose so."

"I'm sure Aizen would have said something if he didn't want you to do certain things," Ichigo said.

"Oh yes, he did outline specifics of things I couldn't do to you and drinking your blood wasn't on the list."

Ichigo was now very curious about the list but held off on asking just yet. Instead he tried to look as innocent and naive as possible. "I guess some scientists don't like getting closely involved with their experiments, but I imagine someone like you is able to remain objective at all times," he said.

"Of course I can," Szayel said. "I strive for ultimate perfection and won't be rattled by whatever in the world is running about in your blood."

"Well then?" Ichigo moved his head, providing access to his neck.

Szayel paused and then approached, gently laying a hand on Ichigo's jaw to hold him steady as he expertly pressed his fangs into Ichigo's artery. Ichigo pretended to absently put his arms around the scientist, but in truth he wanted to make sure the the glasses wearing man drunk as much as possible. He felt a tug as the man tried to pull away, but ignored it. Finally Szayel pulled back for real, pressing a clean white glove to his lips and dying it slightly crimson.

His eyes were slightly glazed and Ichigo noted that Szayel's hands were trembling slightly as he pulled off his now soiled gloves.

"Well? Any idea?" Ichigo asked.

"I'm...having a hard time quantifying it," Szayel admitted. "Let me run some vitals and then we'll see."

Ichigo smiled as Szayel check his own blood and took tissue samples, frowning over the results.

"Did you want something?" Lumina asked Ichigo. "You just got drained by three people. Did you want some water or something?"

"Milk is better, if you want some," Verona offered.

Ichigo felt a slight surge of defiance in him. Ha, I_ can _do it, he thought to himself. Maybe this will help me with Aizen somehow. Can I control it? Or is it just that people who drink from me are bound to me somehow?

"I don't mind doing tests for you," Ichigo said to Szayel, deciding to test his luck. "But I want to know what they are before you do them, and I want to approve of them."

Szayel nodded absently. "There's nothing too odd or painful today, you'll be fine," he assured his patient. "Verona, hand him the list so he can look over it."

Here's hoping that whatever is affecting them works for multiple days, Ichigo thought, because no way am I submitting to anything I don't want to do.

* * *

Aizen flipped through the findings that Szayel had handed him. "I gave you a lot of leeway, I'm surprised that you didn't push that to the fullest extent," he said as he finished the last page.

"Well, some of things seemed like they might be too strenuous for Ichigo, so I decided to not do them," Szayel said.

So it's just "Ichigo", is it? And somehow Ichigo convinced him to not do any of the tests that I was sure he was going to do. Pretty impressive for a newbie, Aizen thought to himself with a smirk. He might be more valuable to me than I had thought before if he can somehow convert Szayel into, if not a friend, at least an amicable acquaintance.

I wonder how capable he really is? Aizen wondered. I should put him in the presence of someone who really isn't friendly.

Aizen considered his options.

* * *

"Nnoitra will be training Ichigo from now on?" Ulquiorra asked in shock.

"You sound upset. I thought you'd be happy to have him off of your hands," Aizen said. "Or are you fond of him for coming up with a way to save Grimmjow? Perhaps you like having him as a pupil?"

"I...am fond of him yes," Ulquiorra replied. "Also, I've already prepared his training lessons for the next several weeks. He is a very fast learner and I'm happy with his progression now that we are finally getting somewhere."

"You can give your notes to Nnoitra, but I doubt he'll take them into consideration," Aizen said to the smaller man.

"Yes, Lord Aizen," Ulquiorra responded, bowing slightly.

He really is...almost mad, Aizen thought to himself. How interesting.

* * *

"WHAT DA FUCK!" Nnoitra yelled at Ichigo. "WHY THE HELL ARE YOU EVEN HERE?"

"Less yelling," Tesla reminded Nnoitra.

"WHAT?"

"You told Lord Aizen that there would be less yelling," Tesla mentioned.

"FUCK AIZEN! Oh wait, that's YER job isn't it?" Nnoitra said, looking over at Ichigo with murderous intent emanating from his gaze.

Ichigo shrugged. "Well, get fucked by Aizen, but you do too, so I don't see what the big deal is."

"I do...I DO WHAT?" Nnoitra screamed.

"Less..." Tesla started.

"I KNOW!" Nnoitra said loudly, but still starting to settle down a little. He took a breath and closed his eye for a second. "Ok...here's da thing..."

"How did you lose your eye?" Ichigo asked.

"DON'T INTERRUPT ME YA SNOTTY BRAT!"

"He never had one," Tesla confessed quietly to Ichigo.

"Never?"

"Well, I don't think anyways," Tesla said.

"And you?" Ichigo was ignoring Nnoitra, who was still screaming in the background.

"Oh well..." Tesla popped up the eye patch and revealed that he had a perfectly normal eye underneath. "I guess you could say it's...a stylistic choice."

"STOP TALKING AND LISTEN TA ME!" Nnoitra yelled at both of them.

"Why? You're too chicken to hurt someone like me anyways. You're probably just like the others, too scared to even bite me because I'm Aizen's newest boy toy," Ichigo scoffed.

"I'm what?" this time Nnoitra was quiet, but the intent of his voice cut through the room. "Did ya just call me a coward?"

"I said "chicken". Do you prefer "coward"?" Ichigo asked. He gasped as he felt himself being slammed into the wall, a small piece of plaster falling down into his hair. The force of the attack had pressed the air from his lungs and he was fighting to keep his composure. Still, he didn't look away from the one angry eyeball that was pinning him to the wall just as much as the rest of Nnoitra's body was.

"How dare you," Nnoitra breathed. He used his own head to press Ichigo's out of the way, biting deeply into Ichigo without warning.

At least I made him angry enough that he'll probably...Ichigo was beginning to lose consciousness. I wonder if it's from the lack of air or from the blood? He thought vaguely as the world began to darken.

"Shit," Nnoitra said from some place in the distance.

Ichigo popped open an eye when he heard that, realizing that Nnoitra was actually crouched over him.

"Finally awake, ya runt?" Nnoitra asked.

"Are you ok?" Tesla asked, leaning down over Ichigo next to Nnoitra. "Please don't complain to Lord Aizen about Master Nnoitra. He just gets angry sometimes, he's not a bad person. Lord Aizen hasn't been in a good mood recently and..."

"Stop yer sniveling, Tesla," Nnoitra warned.

"I don't tell Aizen anything," Ichigo said. "He has enough spies. He can figure out for himself whatever he wants."

For some reason this made Nnoitra laugh.

Ichigo sat up slowly. "I was just teasing, you know. Everyone knows that you're the strongest of the elder council," he said.

"I know that," Nnoitra said. He paused. "Who said that?"

"I heard a couple of the family members from Szayel's family talking about it," Ichigo lied. "They weren't happy being with Szayel and wished that they could be with someone stronger, like you."

Tesla's eyes flashed. "Who said that?"

Jealousy? Ichigo wondered. I guess I should be a little careful. "Don't worry, it was just a couple of random nobodies." Ichigo decided to add it on a little thicker. "Actually, that's why I asked if you could train me instead of Ulquiorra, because I heard you were stronger."

"Than Ulquiorra?" Nnoitra grinned. "Absolutely."

"So, I'm sorry for being a bother to you, but once I mentioned it, Aizen insisted," Ichigo said.

So devious, Aizen thought as he watched the scene. The boy instantly recognized the danger of the situation and the weaknesses of the two men involved. Ichigo knows that it's unlikely that Nnoitra will talk to me about this so he can say whatever he wants about his reasons for being here. Very clever.

Aizen smiled to himself. Perhaps I've found another right hand man, once I get tired of Tosen or Gin. Ichigo can be my wild card.

He's probably here, right now, Ichigo thought to himself. Surely I don't mean so little to him that he'd put me with this psychopath and not be here in case he needed to step in to protect me.

"Well, let's start," Nnoitra said, grabbing an insanely huge weapon from the wall.

Ichigo paled. Maybe this hadn't been such a good idea after all.


End file.
